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diff --git a/24439.txt b/24439.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..5cb5bd0 --- /dev/null +++ b/24439.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3000 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pirates, by Anonymous + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Pirates + +Author: Anonymous + +Commentator: Claud Lovat Fraser + +Illustrator: Claud Lovat Fraser + +Release Date: January 27, 2008 [EBook #24439] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIRATES *** + + + + +Produced by Sam W. and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + + + + THE LIVES AND ADVENTURES + OF SUNDRY + NOTORIOUS PIRATES + + [Illustration] + + + + + PIRATES + + + _With a _Foreword_ and sundry _Decorations_ by_ + + C. Lovat Fraser + + + [Illustration] + + + _NEW YORK:_ + ROBERT M. McBRIDE AND COMPANY + 1922 + + + + +_First American Edition_ + +_Printed in the United States of America_ + +_Printed in Great Britain by Billing and Sons, Ltd., Guildford and +Esher._ + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN AVERY] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + Foreword vii + + The Life of Captain Avery 1 + + Captain John Rackham, and his Crew 17 + + Captain Spriggs, and his Crew 29 + + Captain Edward Lowe, and his Crew 37 + + Captain George Lowther, and his Crew 51 + + Captain Anstis, and his Crew 65 + + Captain John Phillips, and his Crew 77 + + Captain Teach, _alias_ Blackbeard 87 + + Major Stede Bonnet and his Crew 101 + + Captain William Kid 117 + + Captain Edward England, and his Crew 135 + + Captain John Gow, _alias_ Smith, and his Crew 145 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Captain Avery _frontispiece_ + + Captain John Rackham _facing page_ 19 + + Captain Edward Lowe " 39 + + Captain Teach " 89 + + Major Stede Bonnet " 103 + + Captain William Kid " 119 + + Captain Edward England " 137 + + Captain John Gow " 147 + + + + +[Illustration] + +FOREWORD + + +Time, though a good Collector, is not always a reliable Historian. +That is to say, that although nothing of interest or importance is +lost, yet an affair may be occasionally invested with a glamour that +is not wholly its own. I venture to think that Piracy has fortuned in +this particular. We are apt to base our ideas of Piracy on the +somewhat vague ambitions of our childhood; and I suppose, were such a +thing possible, the consensus of opinion in our nurseries as to a +future profession in life would place Piracy but little below the +glittering heights of the police force and engine-driving. Incapable +of forgetting this in more mature years, are we not inclined to deck +Her (the "H" capital, for I speak of an ideal), if not in purple and +fine linen, at least with a lavish display of tinsel and gilt? Nursery +lore remains with us, whether we would or not, for all our lives; and +generations of ourselves, as schoolboys and pre-schoolboys, have +tricked out Piracy in so resplendent a dress that she has fairly +ousted in our affections, not only her sister profession of "High Toby +and the Road," but every other splendid and villainous vocation. Yet +Teach, Kid, and Avery were as terrible or grim as Duval, Turpin, and +Sheppard were courtly or whimsical. And the terrible is a more vital +affair than the whimsical. Is it, then, unnatural that, after a lapse +of nigh on two centuries, we should shake our wise heads and allow +that which is still nursery within us to deplore the loss of those +days when we ran--before a favouring "Trade"--the very good chance of +being robbed, maimed, or murdered by Captain Howel Davis or Captain +Neil Gow? It is as well to remember that the "Captains" in this book +were seamen whose sole qualifications to the title were ready wit, a +clear head, and, maybe, that certain indefinable "power of the eye" +that is the birth-right of all true leaders. The piratical hero of our +childhood is traceable in a great extent to the "thrillers," toy +plays, and penny theatres of our grandfathers. Here our Pirate was, as +often as not, a noble, dignified, if gloomy gentleman, with a leaning +to Byronic soliloquy. Though stern in exterior, his heart could (and +would) melt at the distresses of the heroine. Elvira's eyes were +certain to awaken in his mind the recollection of "other eyes as +innocent as thine, child." In short, he was that most touching of all +beings, the Hero-cum-Villain. And it was with a sigh of relief that we +saw him at the eleventh hour, having successfully twitted the +"Government Men" and the Excise (should he have an additional penchant +for smuggling), safely restored to the arms of the long-suffering +possessor of the other eyes. + +Alas! this little book mentions no Poll of Portsmouth, nor does it +favour us with a "Yeo, heave, oh!" nor is there so very much "cut and +thrust" about it. It was written in that uninspiring day when Pirates +were a very real nuisance to such law-abiding folk as you and I; but +it has the merit of being written, if not by a Pirate, at least by one +who came into actual contact with them. I am not at all sure that +"merit" is the right word to use in this instance, for to be a Pirate +does not necessarily ensure you making a good author. Indeed, it might +almost be considered as a ban to the fine literary technique of an +Addison or a Temple. It has, however, the virtue of being in close +touch with some of the happenings chronicled. Not that our author saw +above a tithe of what he records--had he done so he would have been +"set a-sun-drying" at Execution Dock long before he had had the +opportunity of putting pen to paper; but, as far as posterity was +concerned, he was lucky in his friend William Ingram--evidently a +fellow of good memory and a ready tongue--"who," as our author states +in his Preface, "was a Pirate under Anstis, Roberts, and many others," +and who eventually was hanged in good piratical company on the 11th +of June, 1714. + +The actual history of the little book, the major part of which is here +reprinted, is as follows: + +Its full title is "The History and Lives of all the most Notorious +Pirates and their Crews," and the fifth edition, from which our text +is taken, was printed in 1735. A reproduction of the original +title-page is given overleaf. + +As a matter of fact, the title is misleading. How could a book that +makes no mention of Morgan or Lollonois be a history of _all_ the most +notorious Pirates? It deals with the last few years of the seventeenth +century and the first quarter of the eighteenth, a period that might +with justice be called "The Decline and Fall of Piracy," for after +1730 Piracy became but a mean broken-backed affair that bordered +perilously on mere sea-pilfering. + +[Illustration: THE + +HISTORY _and_ LIVES + +Of all the most Notorious + +PIRATES, + +AND THEIR + +CREWS; + +From Capt. AVERY, who first settled at _Madagascar_, to Captain _John +Gow_, and _James Williams_, his Lieutenant, _&c._ who were hang'd at +_Execution Dock_, _June_ 11, 1725, for Piracy and Murther; and +afterwards hang'd in Chains between _Blackwall_ and _Deptford_. And in +this Edition continued down to the present Year 1735. + +Giving a more full and true Account than any yet Publish'd, of all +their Murthers, Piracies, Maroonings, Places of Refuge, and Ways of +Living. + +The Fifth Edition. + +Adorned with Twenty Beautiful CUTS, being the Representation of each +Pirate. + +To which is prefixed, _An Abstract of the Laws against Piracy_. + +LONDON: Printed for _A. Bettesworth_ and _C. Hitch_, at the _Red Lyon_ +in _Pater-noster-Row_; _R. Ware_, at the _Sun_ and _Bible_ in +_Amen-Corner_; and _J. Hodges_, at the _Looking-glass_ on +_London-bridge_. 1735.] + +A little research into the book's history shows us that it is +consistent throughout, and that it is a "piracy," in the publisher's +sense of the word, of a much larger and more pretentious work by +Captain Charles Johnson, entitled, "A General History of the Pyrates +from their first Rise and Settlement in the Island of Providence to +the Present Time; With the Remarkable Actions and Adventures of the +two Female Pyrates Mary Read and Anne Bonny." + +This was published in London, in 8vo., by Charles Rivington in 1724. A +second edition, considerably augmented, was issued later in the same +year, a third edition in the year following, and a fourth edition--in +two volumes, as considerable additions in the form of extra "Lives," +and an appendix necessitated a further volume--in 1725. + +This two-volume edition contained the history of the following +Pirates: Avery, Martel, Teach, Bonnet, England, Vane, Rackham, Davis, +Roberts, Anstis, Morley, Lowther, Low, Evans, Phillips, Spriggs, +Smith, Misson, Bowen, Kid, Tew, Halsey, White, Condent, Bellamy, Fly, +Howard, Lewis, Cornelius, Williams, Burgess, and North, together with +a short abstract on the Statute and Civil Law in relation to +"Pyracy," and an appendix, completing the Lives in the first volume, +and correcting some mistakes. + +The work evidently enjoyed a great vogue, for it was translated into +Dutch by Robert Hannebo, of Amsterdam, in 1727, and issued there, with +several "new illustrations," in 12mo. A German version by Joachim +Meyer was printed at Gosslar in the following year, while in France it +saw the light as an appendix to an edition of Esquemeling's "Histoire +des Avanturiers," 1726. + +But little is known of the author, Captain Charles Johnson, excepting +that he flourished from 1724 to 1736, and it is more than probable +that the name by which we know him is an assumed one. It is possible +that his knowledge of Pirates and Piracy was of such a nature to have +justified awkward investigations on the part of His Majesty's +Government. + +There is one thing that we do know for certain about him, and that is +that the worthy Captain's spelling, according to the pirated version +of his book, was indefinite even for his own day. He was one of those +inspired folk who would be quite capable of spelling "schooner" with +three variations in as many lines. In this edition the spelling has +been more or less modernized. + +Lastly, it is to be remembered that the ships of this period, +according to our modern ideas, would be the veriest cockle-shells, and +so that we should know what manner of vessel he refers to in these +pages, I had recourse to a friend of mine whose knowledge of things +nautical is extensive enough to have gained for him the coveted "Extra +Master's Certificate," and who was kind enough to supply me with the +following definitions: + + +[Illustration: SLOOP. + +A vessel rigged as a cutter, but with one head-sail only set on a very +short bowsprit.] + + +[Illustration: SCHOONER. TOPSAIL SCHOONER. + +Two-masted vessels, fore and aft rigged, sometimes having square +topsails on the fore-mast.] + + +[Illustration: BRIGANTINE. + +A two-masted vessel, square rigged on fore-mast.] + + +GALLEY. + +A large vessel rowed by oars and sometimes having auxiliary sail of +various rigs. + + +PINK. + +Probably a small, fast vessel used as a tender and despatch boat for +river work. + + +[Illustration: SNOW. + +A two-masted vessel with a stay, known as a "Horse," from the +main-mast to the poop on which the trysail was set. Sometimes a spar +was fitted instead of a stay. The rig was most likely of a brig +(_i.e._, a two-masted ship, square sails on both masts), and the +triangular trysail set on the stay in bad weather or when hove to.] + + C. L. F. + + + + +[Illustration] + +THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN AVERY + + +He was the son of _John Avery_, a victualler near _Plymouth_, in +_Devonshire_, who in a few years was grown as opulent in his purse as +in his body, by scoring two for one; and when he had so done, drinking +the most of the liquor himself. By which means, and having a handsome +wife, who knew her business as well as if she had been brought up to +it from a child (which, indeed, she mostly was, her mother keeping the +House before she married _Mr. Avery_), they soon became very rich and +very able to give credit to a whole ship's crew upon their tickets, +which in those days were sold for less than half their value. + +Having but one child (afterwards the Captain), they at first resolved +to bring him up a scholar, that he might advance the dignity of the +family. But instead of learning his book, he was taught by such +companions that he could soon swear to every point of his compass, +which was a very diverting scene for the Boatswain and his crew, who +were then drinking in the kitchen, having just received ten pounds +apiece short allowance money on board the _Revenge_, every farthing of +which they spent before leaving the house. + +But as soon as their money was spent, they were all like to have been +imprisoned by their Landlady for a riot, as she called it, so they +were soon glad to sheer off, and he thought himself happiest that +could get first aboard. Indeed, it would have been happy for them if +they had, for the ship was unmoored and gone to sea; which put the +Boatswain and his crew swearing in earnest, and not knowing what to +do, they resolved to return to their Landlady, _Mrs. Avery_, at "the +Sign of the _Defiance_." But she shut them out of doors, calling them +a parcel of beggarly rascals, and swearing that if they would not go +from the door she would send for the Constable; and notwithstanding +all the entreaties and tears of her only son, who was then about six +years of age, she could not be prevailed upon to let them in, so they +were obliged to stroll about the street all night. In the morning, +spying the ship at anchor, being driven back by contrary winds, they +resolved to make the best of their way aboard; but on the way, whom +should they meet but young _Avery_, who had no sooner seen them, but +he cried after them. "Zounds," says the Boatswain, "let's take the +young dog aboard, and his mother shall soon be glad to adjust the +reckoning more to our satisfaction before she shall have her son." + +This was agreed upon by all hands, and the boy was as willing as any +of them. So, stepping into the boat, in about an hour's time they +reached the ship, which they had no sooner boarded but they were +brought before the Captain, who, being in want of hands, contented +himself with bidding them all go to their business; for the wind +turned about, and there was occasion for all hands to be at work to +carry out the ship. + +All this while young _Avery_ was at the heels of the Boatswain, and +was observed to swear two oaths to one of the Boatswain's; which being +soon observed by the Captain, he inquired who brought that young +rascal aboard. + +To which the Boatswain replied that he did, that the boy's mother was +his Landlady on shore, and he had taken him up in jest, but was afraid +that they would now have to keep him in earnest. + +When the hurry was a little over, the Captain commanded the boy to be +brought to him in his cabin. He had not talked long to him before he +took a fancy to him, telling him that if he would be a good boy, he +should live with him. + +He, being a mighty lover of children, would often divert himself by +talking to the boy, till at length he took such a fancy to him, that +he ordered him a little hammock in his own cabin, and none were so +great as the Captain and his boy _Avery_, which had like to have +proved very fatal to him; for Avery one night, observing the Captain +to be very drunk with some passengers that were on board, got a +lighted match and had like to have blown up the ship, had not the +Gunner happened accidentally to follow him into the store-room. This +made the Captain ever after very shy of his new Acquaintance, and +_Avery_, after he had been well whipped, was ordered down into the +hold, where he remained until they arrived at _Carolina_, which +happened four or five days after. + +The boy was given to a merchant, who, taking a fancy to him, put him +to school; but he made so little progress in learning, and committed +so many unlucky tricks, that the merchant, in about three years, +shipped him off to his friends at _Plymouth_ on board the _Nonesuch_, +where he was no sooner arrived but his mother was overjoyed with the +sight of her son, his father being dead about a month before his +arrival. + +And, indeed, it was thought the loss of their son broke his heart, for +it was observed the father never held up his head after, the +neighbours often reflecting upon him for his ill-usage of the seamen, +who had spent so much money at his house; saying he could never expect +that all his ill-gotten riches could prosper him, which so happened, +as you shall hear presently. For his mother, dying soon after, the boy +was left under the guardianship of one Mr. _Lightfoot_, a merchant, +who, having great losses at sea, became a bankrupt, and so young +_Avery_ was left to look out after himself; there he continued for +many years in pilfering and stealing till the country was too hot for +him, when he betook him to sea again, where in time he became as +famous for robbing as _Cromwell_ for rebellion. + +He entered himself on board the _Duke_, Captain _Gibson_ Commander, +being one of the two ships of twenty-four guns and one hundred men +which were fitted out by the merchants of _Bristol_ for the service of +_Spain_, which they had no sooner done, but they were ordered by their +agents at _Bristol_ to sail for the _Groyne_ to receive their orders. + +On board one of which ships _Avery_, being at this time above twenty +years old, entered himself, where he had not been long before he +observed the Captain was much addicted to drunkenness. + +He endeavoured to spirit up not only his own ship's crew, but having +also given the word to part of the other ship's crew, the conspirators +gave the signal. + +At which the _Duchess_, as the other ship was named, put off her +longboat; which the conspirators hailing were answered by the men in +the boat, "Is your drunken Boatswain on board?" This being the word +agreed upon, Avery answered, "All is safe;" upon which twenty lusty +fellows came aboard and joined them, which they had no sooner done but +they secured the hatches and went to work, putting to sea without any +disorder, although there were several ships in the bay, amongst whom +was a frigate of forty-four guns. + +The Captain, by this time being awaked by the noise of the +conspirators working the ship, rung the bell, inquiring what was the +matter, to whom _Avery_ and some of the crew replied, "Nothing. Are +you mutinous in your cups? Can't you lie down, sleep, and be quiet?" + +"No," saith the Captain. "I am sure something's the matter with the +ship. Does she drive? What weather is it? Is it a storm?" + +Saith _Avery_: "Cannot you lie quiet while you are quiet? I tell you +all's well; we are at sea in a fair wind and good weather." + +"At sea," saith the Captain; "that can't be." + +"Be not frightened," saith Avery, "and I'll tell you. You must note, I +am now the Captain of the ship; nay, you must turn out, for this is my +cabin, and I am bound for _Madagascar_, to make my own fortune as well +as my companions." + +The Captain, being more terrified than ever, did not know what to say, +which _Avery_ perceiving, bid him take heart. "For," saith he, "if you +will join me and these brave fellows, my companions, in time you may +get some post under me. If not, step into the longboat and get about +your business." + +This the Captain was glad to hear, but yet began to expostulate with +them upon the injustice of such doings. Saith _Avery_: "What do I +care? Every man for himself. Come, come, Captain, if you will go, get +you gone; the longboat waits for you, and if there be any more cowards +in the ship, you may all go together." Which words so affrighted the +whole crew, that there was not above nine or ten of them that durst +venture, who made the best of their way to the shore as fast as they +could, and thought they were well off. + +The Captain was no sooner gone, but they called a Council, which +agreed to own _Avery_ as their Captain; which he accepted of with all +humility imaginable, seeming to excuse himself on account of his +inexperience at sea. But he did it so artfully that it more confirmed +them in the good opinion of their choice. "Gentlemen," said he, "what +we have done we must live or die by; let us all be hearty and of one +mind, and I don't question but we shall make our fortune in a little +time. I propose that we sail first to _Madagascar_, where we may +settle a correspondence, in order to secure our retreats, whenever we +think fit to lie by." + +To which they all agreed, "Nemine contradicente." + +"But hold," saith _Avery_; "it is necessary that we make some order +among us, for the better governing of the ship's crew." Which were in +a few days drawn up by the clerk of the ship. + +And _Avery_ promising them vast things, they all came into them at +last, although some things went very much against the grain of many of +them. + +It took up all their spare time till they arrived at _Madagascar_, +where they saw a Ship lying at the N.E. part of the Island, with which +the men had run away from _New England_; and seeing _Avery_, they +supposed that he had been sent after them to take them, but _Avery_ +soon undeceived them, and promised them protection; therefore they +resolved to sail together. In the whole company, there was not above +ten that pretended to any skill in navigation; for _Avery_ himself +could neither write nor read very well, he being chosen Captain of the +_Duke_ purely for his courage and contrivance. + +In the latitude of _Descada_, one of the Islands, they took two other +sloops, which supplied them with provisions, and then they agreed to +proceed to the _West Indies_; and coming to _Barbadoes_, they fell in +with a ship for _London_ with twelve guns, from which they took some +clothes and money, ten barrels of powder, ten casks of beef, and +several other goods, and five of her men, and then let her go. From +thence he went to the Island of _Dominico_, and watered; there he met +with six _Englishmen_, who willingly entered with _Avery_. They stayed +not long before they sailed for the _Granada_ Island to clean their +ships; which being known to the _French_ Colony, the Governor of +_Martenico_ sent four sloops well manned after them. But they stayed +there not long, but made the best of their way for _Newfoundland_, +entering the harbour of _Trepasse_ with black colours, drums beating, +and trumpets sounding. + +It is impossible to relate the havoc they made there, burning all +before them. When they left _Newfoundland_ they sailed for the _West +Indies_, and from thence to the Island _Descada_, it being judged the +most convenient place, at that time of the year, to meet with a rich +booty. + +From hence they steered towards the _Arabian_ Coast, near the River +_Indus_, where, spying a sail, they gave chase. At their near approach +she hoisted _Mogul_ colours and seemed as if she would stand upon her +defence, whilst _Avery_ contented himself by cannonading her at a +distance, which made many of his men begin to mutiny, thinking him a +coward. + +But _Avery_ knew better, and commanding his sloops to attack her, one +in the Bow, and the rest on the Quarter, clapt her on board, upon +which she struck her colours and yielded. Aboard her was one of the +_Mogul's_ own daughters, with several persons of distinction, who +were carrying rich offerings of jewels and other valuable presents to +_Mecca_; which booty was the more considerable, because these people +always travel with great magnificence, having all their slaves and +attendants always with them, besides jewels and great sums of money to +defray the charges. But _Avery_, not content with this, seized the +young Princess, and taking her with him into his own ship, made the +best of his way to _Madagascar_, where she soon broke her heart and +died. Also her father, the _Great Mogul_, did no sooner hear of it but +he threatened all _Europe_ with revenge. And when he knew they were +_Englishmen_ who had captured his daughter and robbed him, he +threatened to send a mighty army, with fire and sword, to extirpate +all the _English_ from their settlements on the _Indian_ Coasts, which +gave no small uneasiness to the _Indian Company_ at _London_, when +they heard of it. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN RACKHAM] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN JOHN RACKHAM, AND HIS CREW + + +John Rackham was Quarter-Master to _Vane's_ Company, till _Vane_ was +turned out for not fighting the French Man-of-War, and _Rackham_ put +in Captain in his place, which happened about the 24th day of +_November_, 1718. His first cruise was among the _Caribbe_ Islands, +where he took and plundered several vessels. Afterwards, to the +windward of _Jamaica_, he fell in with a _Madeira_ Man, which he +detained till he had made his market out of her, and then restored her +to her Master, suffering _Hosea Tisdel_, a tavern-keeper at _Jamaica_, +whom he had taken among his Prizes, to go aboard her, she being bound +for that Island. + +Afterwards he sailed towards the Island _Bermuda_, where he took a +Ship bound to _England_ from _Carolina_, and a small Ship from _New +England_, both which he carried to the _Bahama Islands_, and there +clean'd. But staying too long in that Neighbourhood, Captain _Rogers_ +sent out a Sloop well mann'd, which retook both the Prizes, the Pirate +making his Escape. + +From hence they proceeded to the Back of _Cuba_, where _Rackham_ staid +a long Time with his Delilahs, till their Provision was consumed, when +he concluded it Time to look out for more. As he was putting to Sea, a +_Garda del Costa_ came in with a small _English_ Sloop, which he had +taken as an interloper on that coast. The _Spaniards_ seeing the +Pirate, attacked her; but finding he could not come to her that night, +because she lay close behind a little island, he warps into the +channel, to make sure of her in the morning. Upon this _Rackham_ took +his Crew into the Boat, with their pistols and cutlasses, and falls +aboard the _Spaniards_ in the night, without being discovered, telling +them, if they spoke a word they were dead men: And so shipping their +cables, drove out to sea, commanding them to take the Boat, and go +aboard their Sloop immediately, or else they were all dead men. +Afterwards they waking the Captain and his men in the Hammocks, who +rose full of their expectation of the Prizes, they sent them aboard +their empty Sloop. + +In the Beginning of _September_, they went off of the French part of +_Hispaniola_, where they took two or three _Frenchmen_ on board, that +were looking after some cattle grazing near the waterside. Then +plundered two Sloops, they returned to _Jamaica_, where they took a +Schooner. + +_Rackham_ continuing about this Island longer than a Man of his +business ought to have done, gave time to a Canoe, which he had +surprised in _Ocho_ Bay, to inform the Governor of _Jamaica_ of his +civilities to all he met with going or coming from the Island. +Thereupon a Sloop was sent out in quest of him, well mann'd and arm'd, +under Captain _Barnet_, to repay him for all his good-natured +Actions, and, if possible, to bring him into the Island. In the mean +Time _Rackham_ met, near the _Negril_ Point, a small Pettiauger, +which, upon sight of him, ran ashore, and landed her Men; but +_Rackham_ hailing them, desired the Pettiauger's men to come aboard +him, and drink a bowel of punch; swearing, _They were all Friends and +would do no Harm_. Hereupon they agreed to his Request, and went +aboard him, though it proved fatal to every one of them, they being +nine in all. For, they were no sooner got aboard, and had laid down +their muskets and cutlasses, in order to take up their pipes, and make +themselves merry with their new acquaintance over a can of Flip, but +Captain _Barnet's_ Sloop was in sight, which soon put a damp to all +their merriment: Finding she stood directly towards them, they +immediately weighed their anchor and stood off. _Barnet_ gave them +chase, and having the advantage of the wind, soon came up with her, +gave her a broadside or two, and, after a very small dispute, took her +and his nine new guests, and brought them all together into +_Port-Royal_ in _Jamaica_, in about a fortnight's time. + +_November_ the 10th, 1720, a Court of Admiralty was held at _St. Jago +de la Vega_, where the following Persons were tried and convicted of +Piracy, and accordingly Sentence of Death was passed upon them by the +Governor, viz.: _John Rackham_, Captain; _George Fetherstone_, Master; +_Richard Corner_, Quarter-Master; _John Davis_, _John Howel_, _Patrick +Carty_, _Thomas Earle_, _James Dobbin_, and _Noah Harwood_; Five of +whom was hang'd the next day at _Gallows-point_, and the rest the day +after. The three first were taken and hanged in Chains; _Rackham_ at +_Plumb-point_, _Fetherstone_ at _Bush-key_, and _Corner_ at _Gun-key_. + +But what was yet more strange was the conviction of the nine guests, +that knew nothing of the matter, or at least they pretended so; but +the People would not believe them, because it was proved that they +came on board with pistols and cutlasses: However, they were so much +favoured as to have the Court adjourned to the 24th of January +following, to give a better Account of themselves than at the time +appeared to the Court: Beside, the Jury also then wanted sufficient +evidence to prove the piratical intention of going aboard the said +Sloops. The two _Frenchmen_ taken by _Rackham_ from the Island of +_Hispaniola_, deposed, That _John Eaton_, _Edward Warner_, _Thomas +Baker_, _Thomas Quick_, _John Cole_, _Benjamin Palmer_, _Walter +Rouse_, _John Hanson_, and _John Howard_, came on board the Pirate's +Sloop at _Negril Point_ in _Jamaica_. Indeed they owned, That at first +Sight of them, they run away from _Rackham's_ Sloop, but that he +hailing them, they returned, and _Rackham_ sent his canoe ashore to +fetch them aboard him, when they saw them all armed with guns and +cutlasses, which they brought with them; and that when they were +chased by Captain _Barnet_, they were frank and free, some drinking +and walking about the deck not at all dispirited; during which time +there was a great gun, and small arms, fired by the Pirate Sloop at +Captain _Barnet's_ Sloop; but that they could not say that the +Prisoners were any way concerned in it: However, they were certain +that when Captain _Barnet's_ Sloop fired at _Rackham's_, the Prisoners +at the Bar went under Deck, for cowardice, as they supposed; not so +much as once peeping up during the time of the whole action: But when +Captain _Barnet_ drew nigh to them to board them, all of them came up, +and helped to row the sloop, in order to escape from him: And that +_Rackham's_ Men and they seemed to agree very well together, and that +they did verily believe they were all of a Party, having heard them +say, when they came on board, _They liked them never the worse for +being Pirates, since they were all honest Boys, and loved their +Bottles_. + +To which the Prisoners answered, in their own Defence; That they were +a great way off from friends and acquaintance, and, therefore it was +impossible to have any one to give an account of them. That they were +very honest pains-taking men, and came out to go a-turtling to provide +for their families; accordingly going ashore at _Negril_ Point they +saw a Sloop, with a white pendant, making towards them, whereupon they +took up their arms, which were no other but what all people carry upon +such occasions, and ran into the woods, to hide themselves among the +bushes, not knowing what she might be. But when they hailed them and +told them they were _Englishmen_, they ventured out, and came aboard +them, as they desired, to drink a bowl of punch, they being poor men, +who get their livelihood very hardily, and such a thing was very +acceptable to them. But when they came on board the Sloop, to their +very great surprise, they found they were Pirates; upon which they +begged to be released; but _Rackham_ swore, That if they did not stay +and assist them against that Sloop that was coming down against them, +he would cut all their throats. So being compelled thereunto by +_Rackham_ and his men, to save their Lives, they did assist him, and +with no other design but to prevent their being cut in pieces, but as +soon as Captain _Barnet_ came up with them, they all very readily and +willingly submitted. + +This being all they had to say in their own Defence, the Prisoners +were ordered from the Bar: The Court were divided in their Judgments; +but the majority were of opinion, that they were all guilty of the +Piracy and Felony they were charged with; thereupon they all received +Sentence of Death, as usual in such cases, the Judge making a very +pathetic Speech to them, exhorting them to bear their Sufferings +patiently, assuring them, that if they were innocent, which he very +much doubted, then their reward would be greater in the Other World: +But everybody must own their case was very hard in this. + +February the 17th, _John Eaton_, _Thomas Quick_, and _Thomas Baker_, +were accordingly executed at _Gallows-Point_; and the next Day, _John +Cole_, _John Howard_, and _Benjamin Palmer_, underwent the same fate +at _Kingston_. The other three got a Reprieve, they being against +going aboard the Pirate's Sloop, and are now living. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN SPRIGGS, AND HIS CREW + + +_Spriggs_ sailed at first with _Lowe_, and came away with him from +_Lowther_. Afterwards _Lowe_ took a ship of twelve guns on the Coast +of _Guinea_, called the _Delight_, which _Spriggs_ went off on board +with twenty men, and leaving _Lowe_ in the night, came to the _West +Indies_. In their passage they made a Black Ensign, which they called +the _Jolly Roger_, with a skeleton in the middle holding a dart in one +hand, striking a bleeding heart; and in the other an hour-glass; and +being hoisted, they fired all their guns to salute _Spriggs_, whom +they chose Captain, and then went to look out for prey. + +In their voyage they took a _Portugueze_ barque, wherein they had rich +plunder. Near _St. Lucia_, they took a Sloop belonging to +_Barbadoes_, which they first plundered, and then burnt, forcing some +of the men into their Service, and beating, in a barbarous manner, +those that refused to join with them, and afterwards sent them away in +the Boat, half dead with their wounds, the rest got to _Barbadoes_, +with much ado, though some of them died soon after of their cuts and +slashes. After this they took a _Martinico_ Man, which they used in +like manner, save that they did not burn the ship. Then running down +to the Leeward, they took one Captain _Hawkins_ coming from _Jamaica_, +laden with Logwood; out of which, they took her stores, arms, and +ammunition, and what they did not want they threw over-board; they cut +the cables to pieces, knocked down the cabins, broke the windows, and +did what mischief they could, taking _Burridge_ and _Stephens_, the +two Mates, and some other Hands, by force; and then after keeping her +a week, they let her go. On the 27th they took a _Rhode_ Island Sloop, +compelling the Captain, and all his men, to go on board the Pirate: +One of them not being willing to stay with them, they told him he +should have a discharge presently, which was to receive ten lashes +from every man on board. + +The next day _Burridge_ signed their Articles; which pleased them so +much, that they fired all the Guns, and made him Master, spending that +day in rejoicings and drinking healths. + +The First of _April_ they spied a sail, and gave her chase all night, +believing she had been a _Spaniard_; but when they came up to her, and +gave her a broadside, she cried out for Quarters, which made them +cease firing, and ordered the Captain to come aboard, which proved to +be Captain _Hawkins_, whom they had dismissed three days before, not +worth a groat. Two Days after, they anchored at _Ratran_, not far from +_Honduras_, and put ashore Captain _Hawkins_, and several others, +giving them powder and ball, and a musquet, and then left them to +shift as well as they could. Here they staid three weeks, when two men +came in a canoe, that had been left in another Maroon Island near +_Benecca_, and carried them thither. A fortnight after they espied a +Sloop at sea, which had lately escaped from the _Spaniards_ at the Bay +of _Honduras_, which, upon a signal stood in and took them all off. + +At an Island to the westward, the Pirates cleaned their ship, and then +sailed towards _St. Christophers_ to meet Captain _Moor_. + +_Spriggs_ next stood towards _Bermudas_, where he took a Schooner +belonging to _Boston_, from which he took all the Men, and sunk the +Vessel. + +Instead of going to _Newfoundland_, they came back to the Islands, and +on the 8th of _June_, to windward of _St. Christophers_, they took a +Sloop, _Nicholas Trot_, Master, belonging to _St. Eustatia_, whose men +they hoisted as high as the main fore-tops, and so let them fall down +again; then whipping them about the deck, they gave _Trot_ his Sloop, +and let him go, keeping only two of his men, besides the plunder. Two +or three days after, they took a ship coming from _Rhode Island_ to +_St. Christophers_, laden with provisions and some horses, and burnt +ship, men, and horses: Since when _Spriggs_ has not been heard of: +though it is supposed he went to _Madagascar_, to spend, in rioting +and wantonness, his ill gotten plunder; till by a letter from +_Jamaica_, of the 2nd of _March_ last, we understood, That he had been +again at the Bay of _Honduras_, and taken sixteen Sail. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN EDWARD LOWE, AND HIS CREW + + +_Edward Lowe_, born at _Westminster_, very early began the Trade of +Plundering; for if any Child refused him what he had, he must fight +him. When he grew bigger, he took to Gaming among Blackshoe Boys upon +the _Parade_, with whom he used to play the _Whole Game_, as they call +it; that is, cheat every Body, and if they refused, they had to fight +him. + +_Ned_ went to Sea with his eldest Brother, and leaving him in +_New-England_, he worked in a Rigging House, at Boston, for some +Time, when not liking that, he returned to _England_ to see his +Mother, with whom he did not stay long before he took his Leave of +her, for the last Time, as he said, and returned to _Boston_, where he +shipped himself in a Sloop that was bound to the Bay of _Honduras_; +and when he arrived there, he was made Patron of the Boat, to bring +the logwood on board to lade the ship; where he differing with the +Captain about the hurry of taking the logwood on board, _Lowe_ takes +up a loaden Musquet, and fired at him; then putting off the Boat, he, +with twelve of his companions, goes to sea. Next day they met a small +vessel, which they took, made a Black Flag, and declared War against +all the world. From hence they proceed to the Island of the _Grand +Caimanes_, where they met with _George Lowther_, who took him under +his protection as an ally, without any formal Treaty; which _Lowe_ +readily agreed to. But parting with _Lowther_ on the 28th of _May_, as +we have already given in an Account in _Lowther's_ Life, _Lowe_ took a +Vessel belonging to _Amboy_, which he plundered, and then stood away +to the South East, by which he avoided two Sloops which the Governor +had sent to take him from _Rhode_ Island. + +[Illustration] + +_July_ the 12th, he sailed into the Harbour of Port _Rosemary_, where +he found 13 small vessels at anchor, whom he told they would have no +quarters if they resisted; which so frightened the Masters of the +vessels, that they all yielded. Out of them he took whatever he +wanted, keeping for his own Use a Schooner of 80 Tons, on board of +which he put 10 Carriage Guns, and 50 men, and named her the _Fancy_ +making himself Captain, and appointing _Charles Harris_ Captain of the +Brigantine. Making up a complement of 80 men out of the vessels, some +by force, and others by their own inclinations, he sailed away from +_Mablehead_, and soon after he met two Sloops bound for _Boston_, with +provisions for the garrison; but there being an officer and soldiers +on board, he thought it the safest way, after some small resistance, +to let them go on about their business. + +They then steered for the _Leeward_ Islands; but in their voyage met +with such a hurricane, as had not been known in the memory of man. +After the storm was over, they got safe to one of the small Islands of +the _Carribees_, and there refitted their vessels as well as they +could. As soon as the Brigantine was ready, they took a short cruise, +leaving the Schooner in the harbour till their return; which had not +been many days at sea, before she met a ship that had lost all her +masts, on board of which they went, and took, in money and goods, to +the value of 1000_l._ Upon this success, the Brigantine returned to the +Schooner, which being then ready to sail, they agreed to go to the +_Azores_, or Western Islands, where _Lowe_ took a _French_ Ship of 32 +Guns, and in _St. Michael's_ Road, he took several sail that were +lying there, without firing a gun. Being in great want of water, he +sent to the Governor of _St. Michael's_ for a Supply, promising upon +that Condition, to release the Ships he had taken, otherwise to burn +them all; which the Governor, for the sake of the Ships, agreed to. +Thereupon he released six, keeping only the _Rose_ Pink, of which he +took the Command. + +The Pirates took several of the Guns out of the ships, and mounted +them on board the _Rose_. _Lowe_ ordered the Schooner to lie in the +Fare between _St. Michael's_ and _St. Mary's_, where he met with +Captain _Carter_ in the _Wright_ Galley; who, defending himself, they +cut and mangled him and his Men in a barbarous manner; after which, +they were for burning the ship, but contented themselves with cutting +her cable, rigging, and sails to pieces, and so left her to the mercy +of the seas. From hence they sailed to the Island of _Maderas_, where +they took a fishing boat, with two old men and a boy in her, one of +whom they sent ashore, demanding a boat of water, otherwise they would +kill the old man, which being complied with, the old man was +discharged. From hence they sailed to the _Canaries_, and thence +continued their course for the _Cape de Verde_ Islands, where they +took a ship called the _Liverpool Merchant_, from which they took 300 +gallons of brandy, two guns and carriages, besides six of the men, and +then obliged them to go to the Isle of _May_. They also took two +_Portugueze_ ships bound to _Brazil_, and three Sloops from _St. +Thomas's_ bound to _Curaso_: All of which they plundered, and let them +go, except one Sloop, by which they heard that two Gallies were +expected at the Western Islands. Her they manned, and sent in Quest of +these Ships whilst they careened the _Rose_ at _Cape de Verde_; but +the Sloop missing the prey, was reduced to great want of water and +provisions, so that they ventured to go ashore _St. Michael's_, and +pass for Traders; where, being suspected by the Governor, they were +conducted into the Castle, and provided for as long as they lived. + +_Lowe's_ ship was overset a-careening, so that he was reduced to his +old Schooner, aboard of which there went about an hundred as bold +rogues as ever was hanged, and sailed to the _West-Indies_, where they +took a rich _Portugueze_ ship bound Home from _Bahia_, putting to the +torture several of the men, who confest the Captain flung into the sea +a bag of 11000 Moidores. This made _Lowe_ swear a thousand oaths; and +after cutting off his lips, he murdered him and all his Crew, being 36 +men. + +After this, they cruised to the Northward, and took several Vessels +and then steered for the Bay of _Honduras_, where they took Five +_English_ Sloops, and a Pink, and a _Spaniard_ of 6 Guns and 70 men, +whom they killed every man; which being done they rummaged the +_Spanish_ Ship, bringing all the booty on board their own vessel. + +In the next cruise, between the _Leeward Islands_ and the Main, they +took two Snows from Jamaica to Liverpool, and just after a Ship called +the _Amsterdam Merchant_, the Captain thereof he slit his Nose, cut +his Ears off, and then plundered the ship and let her go. Afterwards +he took a Sloop bound to _Amboy_, of whose Men he tied lighted +matches between the fingers, which burnt the flesh off the bones, and +afterwards set them ashore in an uninhabited part of the country, as +also other ships which fell a prey to those villains. + +One of His Majesty's Men-of-War called the _Greyhound_, of 20 guns and +120 men, hearing of their barbarous actions, went in search of them +and, seeing the Pirates, allowed _Lowe_ to chase them at first, till +they were in readiness to engage him, and when he was within gunshot, +tacked about and stood towards him. The Pirates edged away under the +Man-of-War's stern, making a running fight for about two hours. But +little wind happening, the Pirates gained from her; thereupon the +_Greyhound_ left off firing, and turned all her hands to her oars, and +came up with them, when the fight was renewed with a brisk fire on +both sides, till the _Ranger's_ main-yard was shot down; upon which, +the _Greyhound_ pressing close, _Lowe_ bore away and left his consort, +who seeing the cowardice of his Commadore, and that there was no +possibility of escaping, called out for quarters. + +_Lowe's_ conduct in this engagement shewed him to be a cowardly +villain; for had he fought half as briskly as _Harris_, the Man-of-War +could never have taken either of them. The _Greyhound_ carried her +Prize to _Rhode-Island_, which was looked upon to be of such signal +Service to the Colony, that in Council they resolved to compliment +_Peter Sulgard_ Captain, with the Freedom of their Corporation. They +secured the prisoners under a strong guard in Jail, till a Court of +Vice-Admiralty could be held for their Trials, which was on the 10th +of _July_ at _Newport_, lasting three Days. The Judges were _William +Dummer_, Esq; Lieutenant Governor of the _Massachusets_, President; +_Nathaniel Payne_, Esq; _John Lechmore_, Esq; Surveyor General; _John +Valentine_, Esq; Advocate General; _Samuel Cranston_, Governor of +_Rhode Island_; _John Menzies_, Esq; Judge of the Admiralty; _Richard +Ward_, Esq; Registrar; and Mr. _Jahleet Brinton_, Provost Marshal. +_Robert Auchmuta_, Esq, was appointed by the Court, Counsel for the +prisoners here under mentioned. + +_Charles Harris_, Captain, _William Blads_, _Daniel Hyde_, _Thomas +Powel_, jun., _Stephen Munden_, _Thomas Hugget_, _William Read_, +_Peter Kneeves_, _James Brinkley_, _Joseph Sound_, _William +Shutfield_, _Edward Eaton_, _John Brown_, _Edward Lawson_, _Owen +Rice_, _John Tomkins_, _John Fitzgerald_, _Abraham Lacy_, _Thomas +Linester_, _Francis Leyton_, _John Walters_, Quarter-master, _William +Jones_, _Charles Church_, _Thomas Hazel_, and _John Bright_, who were +all executed the 19th of _July_, 1723, near _Newport_ in _Rhode +Island_; but _John Brown_ and _Patrick Cunningham_ were recommended to +Mercy. + +The eight following were found Not Guilty; _John Wilson_, _Henry +Barnes_, _Thomas Jones_, _Joseph Switzer_, _Thomas Mumper_, Indian, +_John Hencher_, Doctor, _John Fletcher_, and _Thomas Child_. + +Instead of working repentance in _Lowe_, this deliverance made him ten +times worse, vowing revenge upon all they should meet with for the +future, which they executed upon _Nathan Skiff_, Master of a +_Whale-fishing_ Sloop, whom they whipt naked about the deck, and then +cut off his ears, making his torture their sport. At length being +weary thereof, they shot him through the head, and sunk his vessel. +Some days after, he took a fishing boat off of _Black_ Island, and +only cut off the master's head; but next day taking two Whale Boats +near _Rhode_ Island, he brutally killed one of the masters and cut off +the ears of the other. From hence he went to _Newfoundland_, where he +took 23 _French_ Vessels, and mann'd one of them of 22 Guns with +pirates; after which, they took and plundered 18 ships, some of which +they destroyed. + +The latter end of _July_, _Lowe_ took a large ship called the _Merry +Christmas_, and mounted her with 34 Guns, on which he goes aboard, +taking the title of Admiral, and sails to the Western Islands, where +he took a Brigantine manned with _English_ and _Portugueze_, the +Latter of whom he hanged. + +Afterwards _Lowe_ went to the Coast of _Guinea_, but nothing happened +till he came to _Sierra Leon_, in _Africa_, when he met with the +_Delight_, which he took, mounting her with 16 Guns, and 60 men, +appointing _Spriggs_ Captain, and from whom two days after he +separated. + +In _January_ after, he took a Ship called _Squirrel_, but what came of +him afterwards we cannot tell. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN GEORGE LOWTHER, AND HIS CREW + + +_George Lowther_ went second Mate on board the _Gambia Castle_, +belonging to the _Royal African_ Company, on board which was Captain +_Massey_, with soldiers that he was to command under Colonel +_Whitney_, whom were landed on _James_ Island; but the Fort and +Garrison not agreeing the Company soon after lost a Galley worth +10000_l._ by it. + +[Illustration] + +_Massey_ finding he must be over-ruled by the merchants, soon began to +complain of their ill-treatment of his men in their allowance, saying +he did not come to be a _Guinea_ Slave; and that if they did not use +him and his men better, he should take other measures. + +At the same time, there happened a dispute between the Captain of the +ship and _Lowther_, which very much contributing to Lowther's design: +For _Lowther_ finding himself neglected by the Captain, found means to +ingratiate himself into the favour of the sailors, who, upon the +Captain's going to punish him, swore, They would knock down the first +man that should offer to lay hands on him; which _Lowther_ improved to +a general disaffection of the ship's Crew. _Massey_ in the meantime, +having contracted an intimacy with _Lowther_, they agreed to curb +their enemies, and provide for themselves some other way; which the +Captain perceiving, he goes on shore to the Governor and Factor, to +consult what methods to take. But _Lowther_ apprehending it was +against him, he sent a letter in the same boat to _Massey_, advising +him to repair on board, to put their project in execution. + +Upon which _Massey_ harangued the Soldiers, saying, _You that have a +Mind to return to England_, may now do it; which they all agreed to. +Then he went to the Governor's appartment, and took his bed, baggage, +plate and furniture, believing the Governor would go with him, which +he refused; however _Massey_ came aboard with the Governor's son. +After demolishing all the guns of the Fort, they weighed anchor, and +fell down, but soon ran the ship aground; upon which _Massey_ returns +to the Fort, remounts the guns, and keeps garrison till the ship got +clear. In the meantime Captain _Russell_ got off but was not suffered +to come on board, although he offered _Lowther_ what terms he pleased. +Next tide they got the ship afloat, having first nailed up and +dismounted all the cannon. Then putting the Governor's son ashore, +they put out to sea, when _Lowther_ called upon the men, and told +them, _It was Madness to think of returning to _England_; for what +they had done, would be judged a Capital Offence_; and therefore, +since they had a good ship under them, he proposed that they should +seek their fortunes upon the Seas, as others had done before them, +which they all agreed to, calling the ship _The Delivery_, and swore +to stand by one another. + +_Lowther_ left the Fort the 13th of _June_, and on the 20th, near +_Barbadoes_, he came up with a Brigantine, belonging to _Boston_, +which he plundered, and then let go. After this he proceeded to +_Hispaniola_, where he met with a _French_ Sloop loaden with wine and +brandy, on board whom Captain _Massey_ went, pretending at first to be +a merchant; but finding her to be a Ship of value, he told Monsieur, +He must have it all without money. On board her, there was 30 casks of +brandy, 5 hogsheads of wine, several pieces of chintz, and 70_l._ in +money, all of which they took, only _Lowther_ return'd the French +Master five pounds again. + +But this good harmony did not last long amongst them, _Massey_ was +uneasy, and resolved to leave them; which _Lowther_ agreed to, giving +him a Sloop he had just before taken, to go where he thought fit. +Accordingly _Massey_ goes aboard, with ten men, and comes in directly +for _Jamaica_, where, putting a bold face on the matter, he informs +Sir _Nicholas Laws_, the then Governor, how he had left _Lowther_ the +pirate, and of all that had been transacted before, adding, That he +assisted him at the River _Gambia_ only to save so many of His +Majesty's subjects, and return to _England_. + +_Massey_ was well received, and, at his own report, he was sent on +board the _Happy Sloop_, to cruise off _Hispaniola_ for _Lowther_; but +not meeting with him, he returned to _Jamaica_, and getting a +Certificate, he came home to _England_, where, when he arrived, he +writes to the _African_ Company, relating the whole transaction of his +voyage, but excuses it as an inadvertency, by his being ill-used; for +which, if they would not forgive him, he begged to die like a soldier, +and not be hanged like a dog. This not producing so favourable an +answer as he expected, he went the next day to the Lord Chief Justice +Chambers, and enquired, If there had been ever a Warrant granted and +against one Captain _Massey_ for Piracy. But being told, There was +not, he said, He was the Man, and that the _African_ Company would +soon apply to my Lord for one, which if they did, he lodged in +_Aldersgate street_, where the Officer might at any time find him. +This the Clerk took down in writing, and a Warrant being soon granted, +the Tipstaff went accordingly, and took him without any trouble. + +But still there was no person to charge him, neither could they prove +the letter to be his own hand-writing, till the Justice interrogated +him, _Whether he did write the letter or not_; which he readily +confessed, as also gave an ample account of the whole voyage, +thereupon he was committed to _Newgate_, though soon after he was +admitted out upon bail. + +_July_ the 5th, 1723, he was tried at the _Old-Baily_ by a Court of +Admiralty, when Captain _Russell_ and others appeared against him: But +he would have saved them all that trouble, for he confessed more than +they knew, fixing the facts so firm upon himself, that he was found +Guilty, received Sentence of Death, and was executed three weeks +after at _Execution Dock_. + +[Illustration] + +But to return to _Lowther_, whom _Massey_ left cruising off of +_Hispaniola_, who plying to the Windward near _Porto Rico_, took two +sail, one was a small _Bristol_ Ship, the other a _Spanish_ Pirate, +who had taken the _Bristol_ Ship; which so provoked _Lowther_, that he +threatened to put all the _Spaniards_ to Death, for daring to +intermeddle in his Affairs: But at last he contented himself with +burning both their ships; and the _Spaniards_ getting away in their +launch, they thought they were well off. + +Afterwards he took a small Sloop from _St. Christophers_, which he +manned; and carried with him to an island where they cleaned, and then +going aboard, they sailed towards the Bay of _Honduras_, where they +met with a small vessel with 13 Hands, of the same employment, under +Captain _Lowe_, whom _Lowther_ received as friends, inviting them, as +they were few in number, to join their strength together; which being +accepted of, _Lowther_ continued Captain, and _Lowe_ was made +Lieutenant, burning his own ship. Then coming into the Bay, they fell +upon a ship of two hundred tons, called the _Greyhound_; against whom +_Lowther_ firing his guns, hoisted the piratical Colours, which +Captain _Edward_ bravely returned; but at length finding the Pirate +too strong for him he yielded, and the Pirate came on Board, and not +only rifling the ship, but beat and cut the men in a cruel manner. In +crusing about the Bay, they took several other vessels without any +resistance, particularly a Sloop of 100 Tons, which they mounted with +8 carriages and 10 swivel guns. With this fleet, _Lowther_ in the +_Happy Delivery_, _Lowe_ in the _Rhode Island_ Sloop, _Harris_ in +_Hamilton's_ Sloop, left the Bay, and came to _Port Mayo_, where they +made preparations to careen, carrying ashore all their sails, to lay +their plunder and stores in; but when they were busy at work, a body +of the natives came down and attacked the Pirates unprepared, who were +glad to fly to their Sloops, and leave them masters of the field, +leaving the _Happy Delivery_ behind them, contenting themselves with +the _Ranger_, which had only 20 guns, and 8 swivels, taking all the +men on board her, wherein they presently began to quarrel, laying the +blame upon one another. Being very much in want of provisions, they +got to the _West Indies_, _May_ 1722, and near the Island of _Descada_ +took a Brigantine stored with provisions and necessaries, which put +them in better temper. Then they watered and stood to the Northward, +intending to visit the North Coast of _America_, and in Latitude 38, +they took the _Rebecca_ of _Boston_, at which Time the Crews divided, +_Lowe_ with 44 Hands went on board the Brigantine, and _Lowther_ with +the same number, staid in the Sloop, separating that very night, being +the 28th of May 1722. + +_Lowther_ cruised a pretty while among the Islands to no purpose, +till at length he fell in with a _Martinico_ Man, which proved a +seasonable relief, he being reduced to great want of provisions, and +after that a _Guinea_ Man. After which they thought it time to clean, +in order to prepare for new adventures; for which purpose they sailed +to the Island of _Blanco_, which is a low Island 30 leagues from the +main of _Spanish America_, where he unrigged his Sloop, sending his +guns, rigging, and sails ashore, and putting his vessel upon the +careen. But the _Eagle_ Sloop of _Barbadoes_, coming near this Island, +and seeing her, supposing her to be a Pirate, took the advantage of +attacking her when unprepared, who immediately hoisted the _St. +George's_ Flag at her top-mast head to bid them defiance: But when +they found the _Eagle_ resolved to board them in good earnest, the +Pirates cut their cable, and hawled the stern on shore, which obliged +the _Eagle_ to come to an anchor athwart the hawse, where they engaged +them till they cried out for Quarters. At which time _Lowther_ and 12 +men made their escape, but they took the rest, and brought them to +_Camena_, where the _Spanish_ Governor condemned the Sloop to the +captors, and sent 23 Hands to scour the Bushes of _Blanco_ for the +Pirates, when they took 40; but could not find _Lowther_, three men +and a little Boy. _John Churchill_, _Edward Mackonald_, _Nicholas +Lewis_, _Rich. West_, _Sam Lavercot_, _Rob. White_, _John Shaw_, _And. +Hunter_, _Jonathan Delve_, _Matthew Freeborn_, and _Henry Watson_, +were hanged, _Roger Granger_, _Ralph Candem_, and _Robert Willis_, +were acquitted. And Captain _Lowther_, it is said, afterwards shot +himself, being found dead, and a pistol burst by his side. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN ANSTIS, AND HIS CREW + + +_Thomas Anstis_ shipped himself at _Providence_, in the Year 1718, +aboard the _Buck_ Sloop, and was one of the six that conspired +together to get off with the vessel, along with _Howel Davis_, _Dennis +Topping_, and _Walter Kennedy_, etc. I shall only observe, that this +combination was the beginning of Captain _Roberts's_ company, which +afterwards proved so formidable, from whom _Anstis_ separated the 18th +of _April_, 1721, leaving his Commodore to pursue his adventures upon +the Coasts of _Guinea_, whilst he returned to the _West Indies_, upon +the same design. + +About the middle of _June_, he met with one Captain _Maiston_, +between _Hispaniola_ and _Jamaica_, bound to _New-York_, from which he +took all the wearing apparel, liquors and provisions, and six men. +Afterwards he met with the _Irwin_, Captain _Ross_ from _Cork_, on the +Coast of _Martinico_, which ship had Colonel _Doyly_ of _Montserrat_ +on board, and his Family, and 600 barrels of beef. + +Afterwards they went into one of the Islands to clean, and thence +proceeding towards _Bermudas_, they met with a stout ship called the +_Morning Star_, bound from _Guinea_ to _Carolina_, which they kept for +their own use. Just after, they took a ship from _Barbadoes_ bound to +_New England_, from whence taking her guns, they mounted the _Morning +Star_ with 32 pieces of cannon, and 100 men, appointing _John Fenn_ +Captain: For _Anstis_ was so in love with his own vessel, she being a +good sailor, he made it his choice to stay in her, and let _Fenn_ have +the other ship. Though they were not sufficiently strong, yet being +most new men, they could not agree, but resolving to break up company, +sent a Petition to His Majesty by a Merchant Ship, expecting her +Return at _Cuba_. + +Here they staid about nine months; but not having provisions for above +two, they were obliged to take what the Island afforded; which is many +sorts of fish, particularly turtle; though they eat not a bit of +bread, nor flesh meat, during their being on the Island. + +They passed their time here in dancing, and other diversions, +agreeable to these sort of folks. Among the rest, they appointed a +mock Court of Judicature, to try one another for Piracy, and he that +was a Criminal one day, was made a Judge another. I shall never forget +one of their Trials, which for the curiosity of it, I shall relate. +The Judge got up into a tree, having a dirty tarpaulin over his +shoulders for a robe, and a Thrum Cap upon his head, with a large pair +of spectacles upon his nose, and a monkey bearing up his train, with +abundance of Officers attending him, with crows and hand-spikes +instead of wands and tip-staves in their hands. Before whom the +Criminals were brought out, making 1000 wry Faces; when the +Attorney-General moved the Court, and said, An't please your Lordship, +and you Gentlemen of the Jury, this fellow before you is a sad dog, a +sad, a sad dog, and I hope your Lordship will order him to be hanged +out of the way; he has committed Piracy upon the High Seas; nay, my +Lord, that's not all; this fellow, this sad dog before you, has +out-rid a hundred storms, and you know, my Lord, _He that's born to be +hanged, will never be drowned_. Nor is this all, he has been guilty of +worse villany than this, and that is of drinking of small beer; and +your Lordship knows, there was never a sober fellow but what was a +rogue--My Lord, I should have said more, but your Lordship knows our +rum is out, and how should a Man speak that has drunk a dram to-day. + +[Illustration] + + _Judge._ Harkee me, Sirrah--you ill-looked dog. What + have you to say why you may not be tucked up, and set + a-sun-drying like a scare-crow?--Are you Guilty, or not? + + _Prisoner._ Not Guilty, an't please your Worship. + + _Judge._ Not Guilty! say so again, and I will have you + hanged without any Trial. + + _Prisoner._ An't please your Worship's Honour, my Lord, + I am as honest a fellow as ever went between stem and + stern of a ship, and can hand, reef, steer, and clap two + ends of a rope together, as well as e'er a He that ever + crossed Salt-water; but I was taken by one _George + Bradley_ (the name of the Judge) a notorious Pirate, and + a sad rogue as ever was hanged, and he forced me, an't + please your Honour. + + _Judge._ Answer me, Sirrah--how will you be tried? + + _Prisoner._ By God and my country. + + _Judge._ The Devil you will.... Then, Gentlemen of the + Jury, we have nothing to do but to proceed to Judgment. + + _Attorney-Gen._ Right, my Lord; for if the fellow should + be suffered to speak, he might clear himself; and that, + you know, is an affront to the Court. + + _Prisoner._ Pray, my Lord, I hope your Lordship will + consider. + + _Judge._ Consider!--How dare you talk of + considering!--Sirrah, Sirrah, I have never considered in + all my life.--I'll make it Treason to consider. + + _Pris._ But I hope your Lordship will hear reason. + + _Judge._ What have we to do with Reason?--I would have + you to know, Sirrah, we do not sit here to hear + Reason--we go according to Law.--Is our dinner ready? + + _Attorney-General._ Yes, my Lord. + + _Judge._ Then harkee you rascal at the Bar, hear me, + Sirrah, hear me.--You must be hanged for three reasons: + _First_, because it is not fit that I should sit as + Judge, and no-body to be hang'd: _Secondly_, You must be + hang'd because you have a damn'd hanging Look: + _Thirdly_, You must be hanged, because I am hungry. + There's Law for you, ye dog; take him away, Gaoler. + +[Illustration] + +By this we may see how these fellows can jest upon things, the +thoughts of which should make them tremble. + +_August_ 1722, they made ready the Brigantine, and came out to sea, +where meeting their correspondent returning, and finding nothing done, +they all agreed to ply their old trade. So they sailed with the ship +and Brigantine to the Southward, where they ran the _Morning Star_ +upon the _Grand Carmanes_, and wrecked her; the next Day _Anstis_ went +ashore to fetch the men off, who were all safe. _Anstis_ had just time +to get Captain _Fenn_, and a few others on board, before the _Hector_ +and _Adventure_ came down upon him; but he got to sea, and one of the +Men-of-War after him, keeping within gun-shot several hours, when the +wind dying away, the Pirates got to their oars, and rowed for their +lives. + +The _Hector_ landed her men, and took 40 of the _Morning Star's_ Crew, +without any resistance, they pretending they were glad of this +opportunity; the rest hid themselves in the woods. + +The Brigantine after her escape, sailed to an Island, near the Bay of +_Honduras_, to clean, and in her way took a Sloop, Captain _Durfey_ +Commander, which they destroyed, but brought the men on board. While +she was cleaning, _Durfey_ conspired with some of the prisoners, to +carry off the Brigantine; but it being discovered, he and four or +five more got ashore, with arms and ammunition; and when the Pirates' +Canoe came in for Water, seized the boat and men; upon which, _Anstis_ +sent another boat with 30 hand ashore; but _Durfey_ gave them such a +warm reception that they were glad to return back again. + +In _December_ 1722, _Anstis_ left this place, taking in his cruise a +good ship. He mounted her with 24 Guns and made _Fenn_ Commander. From +hence they went to the _Bahama_ Islands, taking what they wanted. + +As they were cleaning their ship the _Winchelsea_ came down upon them, +when most of them escaped to the woods; but _Anstis_ having a light +pair of heels, escaped in the Brigantine. Afterwards, some of the +Company, being tired of this trade, shot _Anstis_ in his Hammock, and +put the rest in irons, and then carried the Brigantine to _Curacco_, a +_Dutch_ Settlement, where they were hanged, and those that delivered +up the vessel acquitted. _Fenn_ was soon after taken by the +Man-of-War's Men, straggling in the woods, with a few more, and +carried to _Antegoa_ and hanged. But some escaped among the negroes, +and were never heard of since. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN JOHN PHILLIPS, AND HIS CREW + + +_John Phillips_ was bred a carpenter, but sailing in a West Country +ship to _Newfoundland_, was taken by _Anstis_, who soon persuaded him +to join with him, making him Carpenter of the Vessel, in which station +he continued till they broke up at _Tobago_, when he came Home in a +Sloop that was sunk in _Bristol_ Channel. But he did not stay long in +_England_; for hearing of some of his companions being taken in +_Bristol_ Gaol, he moved off to _Topsham_, and there shipped himself +with one Captain _Wadham_ for _Newfoundland_, where when the ship +came he ran away, and hired himself a splitter in the Fishery for the +season: but he soon combined with others in the Fishery, to go off +with one of the vessels that lay in the Harbour, and turn Pirate, and +accordingly fixed upon the 29th of _August_, 1713, at Night; but of 16 +Men that promised five only were as good as their Word. +Notwithstanding, _Phillips_ was for pushing on, assuring them that +they should soon increase their company. Hereupon they seized a +vessel, and went out to sea, when they soon began to settle their +Officers to prevent dispute, appointing, _John Phillips_, Captain; +_John Nutt_, Navigator of the Vessel; _James Sparks_, Gunner; _Thomas +Fern_, Carpenter; and _William White_ was only a private man among +them. + +Before they left the Banks, they took several small fishing vessels, +out of which they took some more Hands, and then sailed to the +_West-Indies_: Among those that were taken, was one _John Rose Archer_ +who having been a pirate under _Blackbeard_ was made Quarter-Master to +the company: They came off _Barbadoes_ in _October_, and cruised +about the Islands about three Months, without meeting with a vessel, +so that they were almost starved for want of provisions, when at +length they fell in with a _Martinico_ Man of 12 guns and 35 hands, +upon which they hoisted the Black Flag and ran up along side of the +Sloop, with piratical Colours flying, swearing, If they did not strike +immediately, they must expect no quarters; which so frightened the +_Frenchman_, that he never fired a gun. Having got this supply, they +took her provisions, and four of her men. + +Having occasion to clean their vessel, _Phillips_ proposed _Tobago_; +and just as they had done, a Man-of-War's boat came into the Harbour, +the ship cruising to the Leeward of the Island; which was no sooner +gone, but they warped out, and plied to the Windward for safety. + +In a few days they took a Snow with a few Hands in it, on board of +which they sent _Fern_ the Carpenter, _William Smith_, _Philips Wood_, +and _Taylor_; but _Fern_ being dissatisfied at _Archer's_ being +preferred before him to be Quarter-Master, persuaded the rest to go +off with the prize; but _Phillips_ gave them Chase, and coming up with +them, shot _Wood_, and wounded _Taylor_ in the leg; upon which the +other two surrendered. + +From _Tobago_ they stood away to the Northward, and took a +_Portugueze_ bound for _Brazil_, and two or three Sloops for +_Jamaica_, in one of which _Fern_ endeavouring to go off, was killed +by _Phillips_, as was also another man for the like attempt, which +made all the others more fearful of discovering their Minds, dreading +the villany of a few hardened wretches, who feared neither God nor +Devil, as _Phillips_ was often used blasphemously to say. + +On the 25th of March, they took two ships from _Virginia_, the +Master's name of one was _John Phillips_, the Pirate's Name-sake; of +the other, _Robert Mortimer_, a stout young man. _Phillips_ staid on +board _Mortimer's_ Ship, while they transported the crew to the Sloop, +when _Mortimer_ took up a hand-spike and struck _Phillips_ over the +Head; but not knocking him down, he recovered and wounded _Mortimer_ +with his sword; and the other two Pirates who were on board, coming +to _Phillip's_ assistance they cut _Mortimer_ to pieces, while his own +two men stood and looked on. Out of the other _Virginia_ Man, they +took _Edward Cheesman_, a carpenter, to supply the Place of _Fern_, +who being averse to that way of life, proposed to _J. Philamore_, who +was ordered to row _Cheesman_ on board _Mortimer's_ ship, to overthrow +their Piratical government; which from time to time, as occasion +offered, they consulted how to do. The Pirates, in the mean time, +robbed and plundered several ships and vessels, bending their course +towards _Newfoundland_, where they designed to raise more men, and do +all the mischief they could on the Banks, and in the harbours. Towards +which country, _Phillips_ making his way, took one _Salter_ in a Sloop +on the Isle of _Sables_, which he kept, and gave _Mortimer's_ Ship to +the Mate and crew; also a Schooner, one _Chadwell_ Master, which they +scuttled in order to sink: But _Phillips_ understanding that she +belonged to Mr. _Menors_ of _Newfoundland_, with whose Vessel they +first went off a-Pirating, said, _We have done him injury enough +already_, and so ordering his Vessel to be repaired, returned her to +the Master. + +In the Afternoon, they chased another vessel, whose Master was an +Inward Light Man, named _Dependence Ellery_, who told _Phillips_ he +took him for a Pirate as soon as he saw him, otherwise he would not +have given him the Trouble of chasing him so long. This so provoked +_Phillips_ and his Crew, that they made poor _Dependence_, for his +Integrity, dance about the Ship till he was weary. After which they +took 10 other ships and vessels; and on the 14th of _April_, they took +a Sloop belonging to Cape _Anne_, _Andrew Harradine_ Master; which +looking upon to be more fit for their purpose, they came on board, +keeping only the Master of her Prisoner, and sending the crew away in +_Salter's_ vessel. _Cheesman_ broke his mind to _Harradine_, to +destroy the crew. Upon this, it was concluded to be 12 a Clock at +Noon, when _Cheesman_ leaves his working-tools on the deck, as if he +had been going to use them, walks off. But perceiving some signs of +fear in _Harradine_, he fetches his brandy bottle, and gives him and +the rest a dram, saying, _Here's to our next Meeting_; then he talks +to _Nutt_, in the mean while _Philamore_ takes up an axe, while +_Cheesman_ and _Harradine_ seize _Nutt_ by the Collar, and toss him +over the Side of the Vessel. + +By this Time the Boatswain was dead; for as soon as _Philamore_ saw +the Master laid hold on, he up with the axe, and cut off the +Boatswain's head, which Noise soon brought the Captain upon Deck, whom +_Cheesman_ saluted with the blow of a mallet, which broke his +jaw-bone, but did not knock him down; upon which _Harradine_ came to +the Carpenter's aid, when _Sparks_ the Gunner interposing, _Cheesman_ +trips up his Heels, and flung him into the arms of _Charles Ivemay_, +who at that moment threw him into the Sea; and at the same Time +_Harradine_ throws Captain _Phillips_ after him, bidding the Devil +take them both. This done, _Cheesman_ jumps from the deck into the +Hold, to knock _Archer_ on the Head, when _Harry Gyles_ came down +after him, desired his Life might be spared; which being agreed to, he +was made a Prisoner, and secured. + +All being over, they altered their course from _Newfoundland_ to +_Boston_, where they arrived the 3rd of _May_, to the great joy of the +Province, and on the 12th of _May_, a special Court of Admiralty was +held for the Trial of these Pirates, when _John Philamore_, _Edward +Cheesman_, _John Cobs_, _Henry Gyles_, _Charles Joymay_, _John +Bootman_, and _Henry Payne_, were honourably acquitted; as also three +_French_ Men, _John Baptis_, _Peter Taffery_, and _Isaac Lassen_, as +also three Negroes, _Pedro_, _Francisco_, and _Pierro_. _John Rose +Archer_, the Quarter-Master, _William White_, _William Taylor_, and +_William Phillips_ were condemned; altho' the two latter got a +Reprieve, and the two former, _Archer_ and _White_, were executed the +2nd of _June_ following. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN TEACH] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN TEACH, _ALIAS_ BLACKBEARD + + +_Edward Teach_ was a _Bristol_ Man, and had served many years in the +late wars, in a Privateer fitted out from _Jamaica_, in which he had +often distinguished himself for his boldness. He was never thought fit +to be entrusted with any Command, till he went a-pirating in the Year +1716, when Captain _Benjamin Hornigold_ put him into a Prize Sloop, +with whom he kept company till _Hornigold_ surrendered. + +In 1727, _Teach_ and _Hornigold_ sailed from _Providence_ for +_America_, where, in their way, they took a vessel with above 100 +Barrels of Flour, as also a Sloop from _Bermudas_, and a Ship bound to +_Carolina_; from which they had a good plunder. After cleaning at +_Virginia_, they returned to the _West-Indies_, and made Prize of a +_French Guinea_ Man bound to _Martinico_, which _Teach_ was made +Captain of; but _Hornigold_ with his Sloop returned to _Providence_, +and surrendered to mercy. Aboard the _French Guinea_ Ship, _Teach_ +mounted 46 guns, and called her _Queen Anne's Revenge_. Not long after +he fell in with the _Scarborough_ Man-of-War, who, after a long fight +finding she could do no good with _Teach_, left him, and returned to +_Barbadoes_, while _Teach_ sailed to _Spanish America_. In his way, he +met with Major _Bonnet_ a Gentleman, formerly of a good estate in +_Barbadoes_, in a small Sloop with which he had turned Pirate: But +_Teach_ finding _Bonnet_ knew nothing of the matter, took him into his +own Ship, and put one _Richards_ Captain in his room, telling the +Major, _That he had not been us'd to the Fatigues of the Sea, he had +better decline it, and take his pleasure aboard his Ship_. At +_Turnissi_ they took in fresh water; but seeing a Sloop coming in, +they ran to meet her, which struck her sail, upon the sight of the +Black Flag, to _Teach_, who took the Captain and his men aboard, and +put _Israel Hands_ to mann the Sloop: From thence they sailed to the +Bay, where they found a ship and four Sloops. _Teach_ hoisted his +Black Colours, at the Sight of which, the Captain and his men left the +Ship, and ran into the woods. _Teach's_ Quarter-Master, with some of +his Men, took possession of her, and _Richards_ secured the Sloops: +One of which they burnt, because she belonged to _Boston_, where some +of his Men had been hanged; but the others they let go after +plundering them. + +From hence they sailed to the _Grand Canaries_, then to the _Bahama_ +Wrecks, and then to _Carolina_, where they took a Brigantine and two +Sloops, lying off the Bar of _Charles Town_; as also a Ship bound for +_London_, with some passengers aboard. The next Day they took another +Vessel coming out, and two Pinks going in, and a Brigantine with +negroes, in the Face of the Town; which put the Inhabitants into a sad +fright, being in no condition to help themselves. + +[Illustration] + +_Teach_, alias _Blackbeard_, sent _Richards_ along with Mr. _Mark_, +one of the Prisoners, to demand a chest of medicines of the Governor, +several of his Men being sick aboard; threatening otherwise to burn +the Ships, and destroy all the prisoners, among whom was Mr. _Samuel +Wrag_, one of his Council. Altho' this went very much against the +inhabitants, yet they were forced to comply with it to save the lives +of the many souls had in his custody. So sending him a chest worth +about 3 or 4 hundred Pounds, _Richards_ went back safe to the ships +with his booty; which as soon as _Blackbeard_ had received, (for so I +shall call him for the future) he let the ships and the prisoners go, +having first taken 1500_l._ Sterling, and some provisions out of her. +From thence they sailed to North _Carolina_, where he had thoughts of +breaking up the company, and securing the money and the best of the +effects for himself and friends. Accordingly he ran a-ground, as if it +had been by accident, and calling _Israel Hands_ to his assistance, he +ran the Sloop ashore near the other, and so they were both lost. This +done _Blackbeard_ goes into the _Revenge_ and maroons 17 men upon a +desert island; where they must inevitably have perished, if _Bonnet_ +had not after taken them up. + +_Blackbeard_ goes straight to the Governor of _North Carolina_, with +Twenty of his Men, and pleads his Majesty's Pardon, and receives +Certificates thereupon. He went to his Sloop which lay at _Okere-Cock_ +Inlet, and set out for Sea upon another expedition, steering his Ship +towards _Bermudas_. Meeting with one or two _English Vessels_ in his +way, he robb'd them only of provisions for his present occasion; but +meeting with a _French_ Ship laden with sugar and cocoa, he brought +her home with her cargoe to _North Carolina_, where the Governor and +the Pirates shared the plunder. He had no sooner arrived there, but he +and four of his Men made affidavit, That they found the _French_ Ship +at Sea, without ever a Man on board; upon which she was condemned. The +Governor had sixty hogheads of sugar for his dividend, his Secretary +twenty, and the rest were shared amongst the other Pirates. And for +fear the ship might be discovered by some that might come into the +River, _Blackbeard_, under pretence that she was leaky, and might +sink, obtained an order from the Governor to bring her out into the +River, and burn her; which they did, and sunk her bottom. + +The Sloops trading in the River, being so often pillaged by +_Blackbeard_, consulted with the traders what course to take, knowing +it was in vain to make any application to the Governor; therefore they +sent a deputation to the Governor of _Virginia_, to sollicit a force +from the Men-of-War to destroy this Pirate. Accordingly the Governor +consulted with the Captains of the _Pearl_ and _Lime_ Men-of-War, +which lay in _St. James's_ River; whereupon it was agreed, That the +Governor should have a couple of small Sloops, and they should be +mann'd out of the Men of War, the Command of which was given to Mr. +_Robert Maynard_, first Lieutenant of the _Pearl_. But before they +sailed, it was agreed in Council, to offer a reward of 100_l._ for _any +one that should take _Edward Teach_, commonly called _Blackbeard_; +_for every_ Lieutenant, Master, Quarter-Master, Boatswain, _or_ +Carpenter Twenty Pounds; For every inferior Officer, Fifteen Pounds; +And for every Man taken on Board each Sloop, Ten Pounds_. + +Upon this, the Lieutenant sailed from _James's_ River in _Virginia_, +the 17th of _November_, 1718, and the 21st in the evening came to +_Okere-cock_ Inlet, where he had fight of the Pirate: And altho' this +Expedition was made with all the Secrecy imaginable, yet _Blackbeard_ +had notice of it from the Governor of North _Carolina_ and his +Secretary: But having heard several false reports before, he gave the +less credit to this, till he saw the Sloops; and then he put himself +in a Posture of defence, with his 25 Men. + +Lieutenant _Maynard_ came to an anchor that night, because the Channel +was so intricate that there was no getting in, in the dark. In the +Morning, coming within gun-shot of the Pirate, he received his fire: +whereupon the _Maynard_ stood directly towards him, endeavouring to +make a running fight. _Maynard's_ men being most expos'd, he lost +twenty at one broadside; upon which he ordered his men under deck, and +bid them get ready for close fighting upon the first signal. Then +_Blackbeard's_ men pour'd in grenadoes; after which, seeing no Hands +aboard, he told his men they were all kill'd; _Let's jump in, and fall +to Plunder_: Which they had no sooner done, but the Lieutenant and his +men gave them as unwelcome a reception as ever they met with before. +The Lieutenant and _Blackbeard_ fired first at each other, and then +they went to it sword in hand, whilst the men on each side were as +warmly engaged as their Captains, until the vessel was all over +blood. _Blackbeard_ stood it till he had received above twenty wounds, +five of them being shots, before he fell down dead. Eight of his +fourteen men being kill'd, and the other six being much wounded, they +call'd for quarters; which was granted, and then the Lieutenant +attacked with equal bravery the men that remained in the Sloop and +took them. + +The Lieutenant caused _Blackbeard's_ head to be cut off, and hung at +the bowsprit end; with which he sailed to _Bath Town_ to get his +wounded men cured, and then began to rummage the Pirate Sloop, aboard +which they found several Letters of Correspondence betwixt the +Governor of _North Carolina_, his Secretary, and some Traders of _New +York_ and _Blackbeard_. Thereupon going to _Bath Town_ in _North +Carolina_, he seized in the Governors Store-house, the Sixty Hogsheads +of Sugar, and Mr. _Knight_ his Secretary's 20, which was their +dividend of the plunder taken in the _French_ Ship before-mentioned. + +After his Men were a little recovered, he returned to the Men-of-War +in _James's_ River in _Virginia_, with _Blackbeard's_ head hanging at +his bowsprit, and 15 prisoners, 13 of whom were hanged, one of them +being taken but the night before out of a trading Sloop: The other, +not being in the fight, was taken at _Bath Town_, being just before +disabled by _Blackbeard_ in one of his drunken humours. + +The night before he was killed, being ask'd if he should chance to be +killed, whether his wife knew where his money was; he answered, _That +no-body but himself and the Devil, knew where it was, and the longest +Liver should take all_. + + * * * * * + +The Names of the Pirates killed in the engagement were _Edward +Blackbeard_, Commander; _Philip Morton_, Gunner; _Garnet Gibbons_, +Boatswain; _Owen Roberts_, Carpenter; _Thomas Miller_, Quarter-Master; +_John Husk_, _Joseph Curtice_, _Joseph Brooks_, _Nath. Jackson_. + +The following, except the two last, were hanged, viz.: _John Carnes_, +_Jo. Brookes, jun._, _James Blake_, _John Gibbs_, _Thomas Gates_, +_James White_, _Richard Styles_, _Cesar_, _Joseph Philip_, _James +Robbins_, _John Martyn_, _Edward Salter_, _Stephen Daniel_, _Richard +Greensarl_, _Israel Hands_, and _Samuel Odel_. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: MAJOR STEDE BONNET] + + + + +[Illustration] + +MAJOR STEDE BONNET, AND HIS CREW + + +The Major was a Gentleman of Fortune and Distinction in the Island of +_Barbadoes_, who before his Piracy bore the character of a worthy +honest _man_, and no-body could ever account for this his undertaking, +for he wanted neither learning nor understanding. He fitted out a +Sloop with ten guns and sixty men, which he named the _Revenge_, at +his own expence, and sailed from _Barbadoes_ for the Cape of +_Virginia_, where he took the _Anne_ from _Glasgow_, the _Turbet_ from +_Barbadoes_, the _Endeavour_ from _Bristol_, the _Young_ from _Leith_, +and many others. From thence he went to _New York_, and there took a +Sloop, and then stood in at _Gardiner's_ Island where he bought +provisions, and went off. _August_, 1717, he came off at the Bar of +_South Carolina_, and took a Sloop and Brigantine, which they +plundered, and then he dismissed the Brigantine, but took the Sloop +with him to an Inlet in _North-Carolina_, where he careened, and set +her on fire. + +Afterwards he put to sea, but could not agree with the men what course +to take; for the Major being no sailor, was obliged to submit to many +things his men imposed upon him, when falling in with _Edward Teach_, +alias _Blackbeard_, who was a good sailor, but a hardened villain, +_Bonnet's_ Crew joined with him, and put _Bonnet_ aboard +_Blackbeard's_ Ship. + +But _Blackbeard_ losing his Ship at _Topsail_ Inlet, surrendered to +the King's Proclamation; when _Bonnet_ re-assumed the command of his +own Sloop, and sailed directly for _Bath_ Town in _North-Carolina_, +where he also surrenders himself, and receives a certificate. There +getting a clearance for his Sloop, he pretended to sail for the +Island of _St. Thomas_, to get the Emperor's Commission to go +a-Privateering upon the _Spaniards_. But returning to _Topsail_ Inlet, +he found that _Blackbeard_ and his gang were gone, with their effects; +and that they had set on shore, on a small sandy island about a league +from the continent, seventeen men, without any provisions, or vessel +to escape. There they had been two nights and one day without any +sustenance, when, to their inexpressible joy, they saw Major _Bonnet_, +who had been informed of their being there by two of _Blackbeard's_ +crew, who had escaped to avoid his cruelty. + +Then he steered his course towards _Virginia_, where meeting with a +Pink having Provisions on board, and they being in want, he took out +of her ten barrels of pork, and five hundredweight of bread, and gave +her, in exchange, ten casks of Rice, and an old cable. + +Two days after they took a Sloop of sixty tons, from which they took +two hogsheads of rum, and two of molasses, and then put in her eight +men, to take care of the Prize; but they not liking her new +acquaintance took the first opportunity to get off with her. + +After this the Major threw off all restraint, and became a downright +Pirate, by the name of Captain _Thomas_, taking and plundering all the +vessels he met with. He took off Cape _Henry_, two Ships from +_Virginia_, bound to _Glasgow_; the next day a small Sloop from +_Virginia_ bound to _Bermudas_; from which they took twenty barrels of +pork, and gave her in return, two barrels of rice, and as much +molasses. The next day they took another _Virginia_ man, bound to +_Glasgow_, out of which they took two men, and a few small things, and +gave her a barrel of pork, and another of bread. From thence they +sailed to _Philadelphia_, where they took a Schooner coming from +_North Carolina_ to _Boston_, from which they took two men, and two +dozen of calves skins, to make covers for guns. In the latitude of +32 deg., off of _Delaware_ River, near _Philadelphia_, they took two Snows +bound to _Bristol_, from which they took money and goods to the value +of two hundred pounds; as also a Sloop of sixty tons, from +_Philadelphia_ to _Barbadoes_, from which they took a few goods, and +let her go. The 29th of _July_, they took a Sloop of fifty tons, bound +from _Philadelphia_ to _Barbadoes_, laden with provisions, which they +kept; as also another of sixty tons, from _Antegoa_ to _Philadelphia_, +having on board, rum, molasses, sugar, cotton and indigo, to the value +of five hundred Pounds, all of which they kept. Then they left +_Delaware_ Bay, and sailed to Cape _Fear_ River, where they staid +almost two months to repair their Sloop, which proved very leaky, till +news came to _Carolina_ of a Pirate's Sloop, with her Prizes, being +there a-careening. + +Whereupon Colonel _William Rhet_ offered to go with two Sloops to +attack them; which being by the Governor and Council approved of, he +was commissioned on board the _Henry_, with eight guns and seventy +men, commanded by Captain _John Masters_; and the _Sea Nymph_, +commanded by Captain Farier-Hall, with as many guns and men; both +under the Direction of the Colonel, who went on board the _Henry_ the +14th of _September_, and sailed from _Charles_ Town to _Swillivant's_ +Island, in order to cruise: where he was informed, by a small ship +from _Antegoa_, which in sight of the Bar, was taken and plundered by +_Charles Vane_, in a Brigantine of sixteen guns, and a hundred men; +that he had taken two Sloops, one Captain _Dill_, Master, from +_Barbadoes_; the other Captain _Thompson_, from _Guinea_, with seventy +negroes, which they put on board one _Yeats_ his consort, being a +small Sloop with twenty-five men, who being weary of this course of +life, ran into _Edisto_ River, and surrender'd to his Majesty's +Pardon, by which the owners got their negroes again, and _Yeats_ and +his men had their certificates sign'd. + +_Vane_ cruised for some time thereabouts, in hopes to take _Yeats_, +and be revenged on him; during which time, he took a ship bound to +London, to whom he gave out, that he designed to go to the southward; +which Colonel _Rhet_ hearing, sailed over the Bar the 15th with the +two Sloops, and went after the Pirate _Vane_; but not meeting with +him, tack'd and stood for Cape _Fear_, according to his first Design; +and on the 26th following he entered the River, where he saw _Bonnet_, +and the three Sloops his Prizes, at anchor; but the Pilot running the +Sloops a-ground, hindered their getting up that Night. The Pirates +seeing the Sloops, and not knowing who they were, mann'd three canoes, +and sent them down to take them; but finding their mistake, _Bonnet_ +took all the men out of the Prizes to engage them. Colonel _Rhet's_ +Sloops the next morning getting under sail, stood for the Pirates, who +designed only to make a running fight; but the Colonel getting upon +his quarters, he edged in upon the shore, and ran his Sloop a-ground. +The Colonel's Sloops were soon in the same condition: The _Henry_ +grounded within pistol-shot of the Pirate, on his bow; the other, +right a-head of him, almost out of gun-shot, which made it of but very +little use to the Colonel. By this time the Pirate had a very great +advantage: For his Sloop lifted from Colonel _Rhet's_, which converted +them all over; and the Colonel's Sloop lifting the same way, was much +exposed for about five hours, whilst they lay a-ground. The Colonel's +Sloop being first a-float, he got into deeper water, and after mending +his rigging, he stood for the Pirate, to go directly on board him; +which they prevented, by hoisting a flag of truce, and surrendering +soon after. The Colonel lost in this action ten men, and had fourteen +wounded. The _Sea Nymph_ had two killed, and four wounded. Among the +Pirates were none killed, and three were wounded. The next day the +Colonel weighed from Cape _Fear_, and arrived at _Charles Town_ the 3d +of _October_, to the no small joy of the people of _Carolina_. + +There being no publick prison, _Bonnet_ was committed into the custody +of the marshal, and his Men were kept at the Watch-house under a +strict guard; a little before the trial, _David Harriot_ the Master, +and _Ignatius Rathe_ Boatswain, the evidences, were removed from the +Crew, to the Marshal's house, from whence on the 24th _Bonnet_ and +_Harriott_ made their escape; which as soon as the Governor heard of, +he published a Proclamation, promising a reward of 700_l._ to any one +that would take him, and also sent several boats with armed men in +pursuit of him. + +_Bonnet_ stood to the northward, in a small vessel; but through stress +of weather, and want of necessaries, he was forced to _Swillivant's_ +Island. Of which information being given to the Governor, he sent for +Colonel _Rhet_, and desired him once more to go in pursuit of him; +which the Colonel readily accepted of; and having got all Things +ready, went that Night for _Swillivant's_ Island, where, after a long +search, he discovered them. After the Colonel's men had fired upon +them, and killed _Harriott_, _Bonnet_ immediately surrendered himself, +and was, next Morning, brought back to _Charles Town_, and confined +under a strong guard till his trial, which was hastened for fear he +should give them the slip again. + +On the 28th of _October_, 1718, a Court of Vice-Admiralty was held at +_Charles Town_, and, by several adjournments continued to the 12th of +_November_ following, by _Nicholas Trot_, Esq; Judge of the +Vice-Admiralty, and Chief Judge of _Carolina_, and other Assistant +Judges; where, after the King's Commission was read, and a Grand Jury +sworn, _Judge Trot_ gave them a learned Charge: And then the _Grand +Jury_ went out, and found the Bills; upon which, a _Petit-Jury_ was +sworn, and the following Persons were arraingn'd and try'd. + + _Stede Bonnet_, alias _Edwards_, alias _Thomas_, late of + _Barbadoes_, Merchant. + + _Robert Tucker_, late of _Jamaica_, Merchant. + + _Edward Robinson_, late of _Newcastle_-upon-_Tine_, + Mariner. + + _Neal Peterson_, late of _Aberdeen_, Mariner. + + _William Scot_, late of _Aberdeen_, Mariner. + + _William Eddy_, alias _Neddy_, late of _Aberdeen_, + Mariner. + + _Alexander Annand_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner. + + _George Rose_, late of _Glasgow_, Mariner. + + _George Dubin_, late of _Glasgow_, Mariner. + + _John Ridge_, late of _London_, Mariner. + + _Matthew King_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner. + + _Daniel Perry_, late of _Guernsey_, Mariner. + + _Henry Virgin_, late of _Bristol_, Mariner. + + _James Rattle_, alias _Robbins_, late of _London_, + Merchant. + + _James Mullet_, alias _Millet_, late of _London_, + Mariner. + + _Thomas Price_, late of _Bristol_, Mariner. + + _James Wilson_, late of _Dublin_, Mariner. + + _John Lopez_, late of _Oporto_, Mariner. + + _Zachariah Long_, late of the Province of _Holland_, + Mariner. + + _Job. Barley_, late of _London_, Mariner. + + _John William Smith_, late of _Charles_ Town in + _Carolina_, Mariner. + + _Thomas Carman_, late of _Maidstone_ in _Kent_, Mariner. + + _John Thomas_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner. + + _William Morrison_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner. + + _Samuel Booth_, late of _Charles_ Town, Mariner. + + _William Howet_, late of _Jamaica_, Mariner. + + _John Kent_, late of _North Carolina_, Mariner. + + _William Livres_, alias _Evis_, late of _Carolina_, + Mariner. + + _John Brierly_, alias _Timberhead_, late of _Bath_ Town + in _North Carolina_, Mariner. + + _Robert Boyd_, late of _Bath_ Town in North _Carolina_, + Mariner. + + _Thomas Nicholas_, late of _London_, Mariner. + + _Rowland Sharp_, late of _Bath_ Town, Mariner. + + _Jonathan Clark_, late of _Charles_ Town, Mariner. + + _Thomas Gerrard_, late of _Antegoa_, Mariner. + +All of whom, except the four last, were found Guilty, and received +Sentence of Death, upon two Indictments, for Robbing upon the High Sea +the _Francis_, _Peter Manwaring_, Commander; and for seizing, in a +Piratical Manner, the Sloop _Fortune_, _Thomas Read_, Commander: To +which they all pleaded Not Guilty, except _James Wilson_ and _John +Levit_, who pleaded Guilty to both Indictments, and _Daniel Piercy_ +to one only. _Bonnet_ moved to go through both the Indictments at +once; but the Court overruling it, he was found Guilty of one, and +retracted his Plea to the other. They made but little Defence, +pretending they were taken off a _Maroon_ Shore, and were shipped with +Major _Bonnet_ to go to _St. Thomas's_, but wanting provisions they +were obliged to do what they did; and the Major himself pretended it +was _Necessity_ and not _Inclination_ that compelled them to do it. +But that not appearing, they having all shared ten or eleven Pounds a +man, except the four last, they were all found Guilty. After which the +Judge set forth the enormity of their Crimes: And then pronounced +Sentence of Death upon the persons aforesaid, except Major _Bonnet_, +who not being brought back in time, was not tried till the 10th of +_November_; and being then also found Guilty, he received Sentence in +like manner as the others; before whom Judge _Trot_ made an excellent +speech, saying afterwards. + +_And now, having discharged my Duty as a Christian, I must do my +Office as a Judge, which is_ + +_You the said _Stede Bonnet_ shall go from hence, to the Place from +whence you came, and from thence to the Place of Execution, where you +shall be hanged by the Neck till you are dead._ + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN WILLIAM KID + + +We are now going to give an account of one whose name is better known +in _England_, than most of those whose histories we have already +related; the person we mean is Captain _Kid_, whose public Trial and +Execution here, rendered him the subject of all conversation. + +In the beginning of King _William's_ War, Captain _Kid_ commanded a +Privateer in the _West-Indies_, and by several adventurous actions +acquired the reputation of a brave man, as well as an experienced +seaman. About this time the Pirates were very troublesome in those +parts, wherefore Captain _Kid_ was recommended by the Lord +_Bellamont_, then Governor of _Barbadoes_, as well as by several other +persons, to the Government here, as a person very fit to be entrusted +with the command of a Government Ship, and to be employed in cruising +upon the Pirates, as knowing those Seas perfectly well, and being +acquainted with their lurking places; but what reasons governed the +politics of those times, I cannot tell, but this proposal met with no +encouragement here, though it is certain it would have been of great +consequence to the subject, our merchants suffering incredible damages +by those robbers. + +Upon this neglect the Lord _Bellamont_, and some others who knew what +great captures had been made by the Pirates, and what a prodigious +wealth must be in their possession, were tempted to fit out a ship at +their own private charge, and to give the command of it to Captain +_Kid_; and to give the thing a greater reputation, as well as to keep +their seamen under the better command, they procured the King's +Commission for the said Captain _Kid_. + +Captain _Kid_ had also another Commission, which was called a +Commission of Reprisals; for it being then War time, this Commission +was to justify him in the taking of _French_ Merchant Ships, in case +he should meet with any. He sail'd out of _Plymouth_ in _May_ 1696, in +the _Adventure_ Galley of thirty guns, and eighty men; the place he +first design'd for was _New York_; in his Voyage thither he took a +French _Banker_, but this was no Act of Piracy, he having a Commission +for that purpose, as we have just observed. + +When he arrived at _New York_ he put up Articles for engaging more +Hands, it being necessary to his Ship's crew, since he proposed to +deal with a desperate enemy: The terms he offered were, that every man +should have a share of what was taken, reserving for himself and +Owners forty shares. Upon this encouragement he soon increas'd his +company to a hundred and fifty five men. + +With this company he first sail'd for _Maderas_, where he took in wine +and some other necessaries; from thence he proceeded to _Bonavist_, +one of the _Cape de Verd Islands_, to furnish the ship with salt, and +from thence went immediately to _St. Jago_, another of the _Cape de +Verd Islands_, in order to stock himself with provisions. When all +this was done, he bent his course to _Madagascar_, the known +rendezvous of Pirates; in this way he fell in with Captain _Warren_, +Commodore of three Men-of-War; he acquainted them with his design, +kept them company two or three days, and then leaving them, made the +best way for _Madagascar_, where he arrived in _February_ 1696, just +nine months from his departure from _Plymouth_. + +[Illustration] + +It does not appear all this while that he had the least design of +turning Pirate; for near _Mahala_ and _Joanna_ both he met with +several _Indian_ ships richly laden, to which he did not offer the +least violence, tho' he was strong enough to have done what he pleas'd +with them; and the first outrage or depredation I find he committed +upon mankind, was after his repairing his ship, and leaving _Joanna_; +he touch'd at a place call'd _Mabbee_, upon the _Red Sea_, where he +took some _Guinea_ Corn from the natives, by force. + +After this he sail'd to _Bab's Key_, a Place upon a little Island at +the entrance of the _Red Sea_; here it was that he first began to open +himself to his ship's company, and let them understand that he +intended to change his measures; for, happening to talk of the _Moca_ +Fleet, which was to sail that way, he said _We have been unsuccessful +hitherto, but courage, my Boys, we'll make our fortunes out of this +Fleet_: And finding that none of them appear'd averse to it, he +order'd a boat out, well mann'd, to go upon the coast to make +discoveries, commanding them to take a prisoner and bring to him, or +get intelligence any way they could. The boat return'd in a few days, +bringing him word, that they saw fourteen or fifteen ships ready to +sail, some with _English_, some with _Dutch_, and some with _Moorish_ +Colours. He therefore order'd a man continually to watch at the +mast-head, least this Fleet should go by them; and about four days +after, towards evening, it appear'd in sight, being convoy'd by one +_English_ and one _Dutch_ Man-of-War. _Kid_ soon fell in with them, +and getting into the midst of them, fir'd at a _Moorish_ ship which +was next him; but the Men-of-War taking the Alarm, bore down upon +_Kid_, and firing upon him, obliged him to sheer off, he not being +strong enough to contend with them. Now he had begun hostilities, he +resolv'd to go on, and therefore he went and cruis'd along the coast +of _Malabar_; the first Prize he met was a small vessel belonging to +_Aden_, the vessel was _Moorish_, and the Owners were _Moorish_ +Merchants, but the Master was an _Englishman_, his name was _Parker_. +_Kid_ forc'd him and a _Portugueze_ that was call'd _Don Antonio_, +which were all the _Europeans_ on Board, to take on with them; the +first he design'd as a pilot, and the last as an interpreter. He also +used the men very cruelly, causing them to be hoisted up by the arms, +and drubb'd with a naked cutlass, to force them to discover whether +they had money on board, and where it lay; but as they had neither +gold nor silver on board, he got nothing by his cruelty; however, he +took from them a bale of pepper, and a bale of coffee, and so let them +go. + +Soon after this he came up with a _Moorish_ Ship, the Master whereof +was a _Dutchman_, call'd _Schipper Mitchel_, and chased her under +_French_ Colours, which they observing, hoisted _French_ Colours too: +When he came up with her, he hail'd her in _French_, and they having a +_Frenchman_ on board, answer'd him in the same language; upon which he +order'd them to send their boat on board; they were oblig'd to do so, +and having examin'd who they were, and from whence they came; he ask'd +the _Frenchman_, who was a passenger, if he had a _French_ pass for +himself? The _Frenchman_ gave him to understand that he had. Then he +told the _Frenchman_ he must pass for Captain, _and by God_, says he, +_you are the Captain_: The _Frenchman_ durst not refuse doing as he +would have him: The meaning of this was, that he would seize the Ship +as fair Prize, and as if she belonged to _French_ Subjects, according +to a commission he had for that purpose; tho', one would think, after +what he had already done, that he need not have recourse to a quibble +to give his actions a colour. + +In short, he took the cargoe and sold it some time after, yet still he +seem'd to have some fears upon him least these proceedings should have +a bad end; for, coming up with a _Dutch_ Ship some time, when his men +thought of nothing but attacking her, _Kid_ oppos'd it; upon which a +mutiny arose, and the majority being for taking the said ship, and +arming themselves to man the boat to go and seize her, he told them, +such as did, never should come on Board him again; which put an end to +the design, so that he kept company with the said ship some time, +without offering her any violence: However, this dispute was the +occasion of an accident, upon which an indictment was afterwards +grounded against _Kid_; for _Moor_, the Gunner, being one day upon +deck, and talking with _Kid_ about the said _Dutch_ Ship, some words +arose betwixt them, and _Moor_ told _Kid_, that he had ruin'd them +all; upon which, _Kid_, calling him _Dog_, took up a bucket and struck +him with it, which breaking his skull, he died the next day. + +But _Kid's_ penitential fit did not last long, for coasting along +_Malabar_, he met with a great number of boats, all which he +plunder'd. Upon the same Coast he also lit upon a _Portugueze_ Ship, +which he kept possession of a week, and then having taking out of her +some chests of _Indian_ goods, thirty jars of butter, and some wax, +iron, and a hundred bags of rice, he let her go. + +The _Adventure_ Galley was now so old and leaky, that they were forced +to keep two pumps continually going, wherefore _Kid_ shifted all the +guns and tackle out of her into the _Queda_ Merchant, intending her +for his Man-of-War; and as he had divided the Money before, he now +made a division of the remainder of the cargo: Soon after which, the +greatest part of the company left him, some going on board Captain +_Culliford_, and others absconding in the Country, so that he had not +above forty men left. + +He put to sea and happened to touch at _Amboyna_, one of the _Dutch_ +Spice Islands, where he was told, that the news of his Actions had +reach'd _England_, and that he was there declared a Pirate. + +The truth on't is, his Piracies so alarmed our Merchants, that some +motions were made in Parliament, to enquire into the commission that +was given him, and the persons who fitted him out: These proceedings +seem'd to lean a little hard upon the Lord _Bellamont_, who thought +himself so much touch'd thereby, that he published a Justification of +himself in a pamphlet after _Kid's_ execution. In the mean time, it +was thought advisable, to publish a Proclamation, offering the King's +free Pardon to all such Pirates as should voluntarily surrender +themselves, whatever Piracies they had been guilty of at any time, +before the last day of _April_, 1699--That is to say, for all +Piracies committed Eastward of the _Cape of Good_ Hope, to the +Longitude and Meridian of _Socatora_, and _Cape Camorin_. In which +Proclamation, _Avery_ and _Kid_ were excepted by Name. + +When _Kid_ left _Amboyna_ he knew nothing of this Proclamation, for +certainly had he had notice of his being excepted in it, he would not +have been so infatuated, to run himself into the very jaws of danger; +but relying upon his interest with the Lord _Bellamont_, and fancying, +that a _French_ Pass or two he found on board some of the ships he +took, would serve to countenance the matter, and that part of the booty +he got would gain him new friends--I say, all these things made him +flatter himself that all would be hushed, and that justice would but +wink at him. Wherefor he sail'd directly for _New York_, where he was +no sooner arrived, but by the Lord _Bellamont's_ orders, he was secured +with all his papers and effects. Many of his fellow-adventurers who had +forsook him at _Madagascar_, came over from thence passengers, some to +_New England_ and some to _Jersey_; where hearing of the King's +Proclamation for pardoning of Pirates, they surrendered themselves to +the Governor of those places: At first they were admitted to bail, but +soon after were laid in strict confinement, where they were kept for +some time, till an opportunity happened of sending them with their +Captain over to _England_ to be tried. + +Accordingly a Sessions of Admiralty being held at the _Old Baily_, in +_May_, 1701, _Captain Kid_, _Nicholas Churchill_, _James How_, _Robert +Lumley_, _William Jenkins_, _Gabriel Loff_, _Hugh Parrot_, _Richard +Barlicorn_, _Abel Owens_, and _Darby Mullins_, were arraingn'd for +Piracy and Robbery on the High Seas, and all found guilty, except +three; these were _Robert Lumley_, _William Jenkins_, and _Richard +Barlicorn_, who proving themselves to be apprentices to some of the +officers of the ship, and producing their Indentures in Court, were +acquitted. + +_Kid_ was tried upon an indictment of Murder also, _viz._ for killing +_Moor_ the Gunner, and found guilty of the same. _Nicholas Churchill_ +and _James How_ pleaded the King's Pardon, as having surrendered +themselves within the time limited in the Proclamation, and Colonel +_Bass_, Governor of _West Jersey_, to whom they surrendered, being in +Court, and called upon, proved the same; however, this plea was +over-ruled by the Court, because there being four Commissioners named +in the Proclamation, it was adjudged no other person was qualified to +receive their surrender, and that they could not be intitled to the +benefit. + +As to Captain _Kid's_ Defence, he insisted much upon his own +innocence, and the villany of his men; he said he went out in a +laudable employment and had no occasion, being then in good +circumstances, to go a-Pirating; that the men often mutinied against +him, and did as they pleas'd; that he was threatened to be shot in his +cabin, and that ninety five left him at one time, and set fire to his +boat, so that he was disabled from bringing his ship home, or the +Prizes he took, to have them regularly condemn'd, which he said were +taken by virtue of a commission under the broad seal, they having +_French_ Passes--The Captain called one Col. _Hewson_ to his +Reputation, who gave him an extraordinary character, and declared to +the Court, that he had served under his command, and been in two +engagements with him against the _French_, in which he fought as well +as any man he ever saw; that there were only _Kid's_ Ship and his own +against Monsieur _du Cass_, who commanded a squadron of six sail, and +they got the better of him, but this being several years before the +facts mentioned in the Indictment were committed, prov'd of no manner +of service to the Prisoner on his Trial. + +As to the friendship shown to _Culliford_, a notorious Pirate, _Kid_ +denied, and said, he intended to have taken him, but his men being a +parcel of rogues and villains refused to stand by him, and several of +them ran away from his ship to the said Pirate.--But the evidence +being full and particular against him, he was found Guilty as before +mentioned. + +When _Kid_ was asked what he had to say why Sentence should not pass +against him, he answered, That _he had nothing to say, but that he had +been sworn against by perjured wicked People_. And when Sentence was +pronounced, he said, _My Lord it is a very hard Sentence. For my part +I am the innocentest Person of them all, only I have been sworn +against by perjured Persons_. + +Wherefore about a week after, Capt. _Kid_, _Nicholas Churchill_, +_James How_, _Gabriel Loff_, _Hugh Parrot_, _Abel Owen_, and _Darby +Mullins_, were executed at _Execution Dock_, and afterwards hung up in +Chains, at some distance from each other, down the river, where their +Bodies hung exposed for many years. + +[Illustration] + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN EDWARD ENGLAND, AND HIS CREW + + +_Edward England_ went Mate of a Sloop that sailed out of _Jamaica_, +and was taken by _Winter_, a Pirate, from whom he had the Command of a +Sloop just before their Settlement at _Providence_. The man was brave +and good natured, and far from being cruel, as most of them are; and +would not have committed such barbarous actions as he did, had not his +comrades compelled him to it. + +He sailed to the Coast of _Africa_, after the Island of _Providence_ +was inhabited by the _English_. In his Passage he took several Ships, +particularly the _Cadogan_ Snow belonging to _Bristol_, one _Skinner_ +Master, who was murdered by those very men who had formerly served +under him, upon a quarrel that happened between _Skinner_ and them, +about their wages: He shipped them on board a Man-of-War, from whence +they deserted, and went on board a ship in the _West-Indies_, where +they were taken by a pirate, and brought to _Providence_, and then +they sailed with Captain _England_ a-Pirating. + +As soon as _Skinner_ came on board, he saw his old Boatswain, who +said, _Ah! Captain Skinner is it you, I am much in your Debt, and now +I shall pay you in your own Coin_. These words put the Captain in a +panic Fear: And indeed he had Reason enough to be afraid, for they +immediately seized him, bound him to the Windlass, pelted him with +Glass Bottles, afterwards whipt him about the Deck, and then said, +because he had been a good Master, he should have an easy Death, and +so shot him through the Head; the vessel and her Cargoe being given to +_Howel Davis_. + +After this _England_ went into an _Harbour_ to clean his Ship, and +also fitted up the _Peterborough_, which he called the _Victory_. +Then putting out to sea, they sailed for the _East-Indies_, and took +_Madagascar_, by the Way. From thence, after taking in water and +provisions, they went for _Malabar_, in the Empire of the _Mogul_. +Here they took several _Indian_ Vessels, and one _European_, a _Dutch_ +Ship, which they exchanged for one of their own, and then came back to +_Madagascar_, where they sent several Hands on shore to kill venison, +and then resolved to seek out for the remains of _Avery's_ Crew; but +returning without success, they being settled on the other side, they +stay'd no longer than till they had cleaned their ships, and then +sailed to _Juanna_. + +In the Year 1720, the _Bombay_ Fleet, consisting of four _Grabs_, the +_London Chandois_, and some other ships, carried 1000 Men to bombard +and batter _Gapra_, a fort belonging to _Angria_, on the _Malabar_ +Coast; which they not being able to do, fell in with the Pirates, in +their return to _Bombay_: But Captain _Upton_ the Commodore, having no +orders, would not engage them; which so provoked the Governor, for +missing so favourable an opportunity of cutting the Pirates all off, +that he gave the command to Captain _Mackra_, with orders to fight +them wherever he met with them. + +But the Pirates proceeded to the southward, and took a small ship out +of _Orincro_ Road, with a _Dutch_ and two _Portugueze_ Men on board, +one of which they sent to the Captain, to inform him, that if he would +supply them with provisions and water he should have his ship again. +But the Master would not agree to it; thereupon they sent other +persons ashore, and swore he should be the last man they would give +quarter to, and so put directly for _Laccadeva_ Island, and arrived +there in three days. But being informed by a _Menchew_, there was no +anchor-ground there, they went to the next Island, called _Melincha_, +whence they were driven by a storm, leaving behind them a hundred +people, and all their water-casks: But in a week's time, they regained +the island, took their people on board, and filled the water-casks. +Provisions being scarce, they resolved to visit the _Dutch_ at +_Cochin_, and after three days sail, arrived off of _Tellechery_, +where they took a small Vessel belonging to Governor _Adams_; who +giving an account of Captain _Mackra's_ fitting out against them, put +them into a grievous passion. + +Afterward they arrived at _Mauritius_, where they refitted the +_Victory_, and then sailed the 5th of April for _Madagascar_, but +called first at the Island _Mascarine_, at which they found a +_Portugueze_ ship of seventy guns at anchor, disabled by a violent +storm, so that they easily became a Prize to the Pirates. She had on +board the _Conde Ereceira_ Vice-Roy of _Goa_, also they found on board +her, in diamonds only, to the value of four millions of Dollars. They +made the Vice-Roy a prisoner; but in consideration of his losses, +accepted of a ransom of 2000 dollars and then set him and his +followers ashore. Learning that an _Ostender_ was on the leeward of +that Island, they sailed and took her, and sent her to _Madagascar_ +with news of their success, where they followed themselves soon +after, with two hundred _Mozambique_ Negroes in the _Portugueze_ Ship. + +When _Taylor_ came with the _Portugueze_ Prize to _Madagascar_, they +found that the _Ostender_ had made his men drunk, and seized his ship, +which they carried to the _Mozambique_; from thence the Governor +ordered her to _Goa_. But the Pirates staid and clean'd the +_Cassandra_, and divided very great plunder. Some, who thought they +had got enough, staid at _Madagascar_, and the rest, having no +occasion for two ships, burnt the _Victory_, she being leaky, and went +on board the _Cassandra_, under the Command of Captain _Taylor_, +designing to go for _Cochin_ to dispose of his diamonds, amongst his +old Friends the _Dutch_, and also to avoid the dangers of the +Men-of-War that were in pursuit of them. But as he was preparing to +sail, and heard of four Men-of-War coming after him; therefore he +altered his mind, and sailed for the Main of _Africa_, and put in at +_Delagoa_: But the Pirates were surprized in the evening with some +shot from the shore. They took it for a desert shore, but it proved +otherwise; for a few months before, the _Dutch East India Company_ had +settled one hundred men upon it, who, not being supplied with +necessaries, were reduced to about sixteen; whom _Taylor_, upon their +humble petition took aboard, and they all became Pirates with him. + +Here they stayed about four months, careened their ships, and left +_Delagoa_ the latter end of _December_: But not agreeing among +themselves, they parted those who were weary of that sort of life, +went on board the _Portugueze_ Prize, and sailed for _Madagascar_; the +others went on board the _Cassandra_, and sailed for the _Spanish West +Indies_. The _Mermaid_ Man-of-War, which was a convoy to some +Merchant-men, about 30 leagues distance, would have gone to attack +them, had not the Merchants, whom he had the care of, declar'd their +protection was of more service than destroying the Pirates; and so he +was oblig'd to be content with only dispatching the news of it to +_Jamaica_. This brought down the _Lanceston_, though it was a day or +two too late, for they had just before surrendered, with all their +riches, to the Governor of _Porto-Bello_, where they now live upon +their Spoils, saying, others would have done as much, had they had the +same opportunity; swearing, _That whatever Robberies they had +committed they are not the only Rogues in the World; for that the +South-Sea[A] did more Mischief in one Year, than they were able to do +in their whole Lives_. + +[Illustration] + + +FOOTNOTE: + +[A] The South-Sea Bubble. + + + + +[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN GOW] + + + + +[Illustration] + +CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, _ALIAS_ SMITH, AND HIS CREW + + +_John Gow_, alias _Smith_, was born at a place called _Caristoun_, in +the _Orkney_ Islands, and was brought up a sailor from his youth, +having served on board several Men-of-War, and last of all on board +the _Suffolk_, along with _T. Swan_, who was engaged with him in the +conspiracy to murder Captain _Ferneau_, and seize the ship and cargoe, +as they went off the _Texel_, but they were prevented by _James +Belvin_, who was led into the secret and discovered it. Captain +_Ferneau_ taking little notice of it, contented himself with turning +off _Swan_, and preferred _Gow_ to be second Mate and Gunner. + +They sailed on board the _George_ Galley, August the 1st, 1724, from +the _Texel_ to _Santa Cruz_, having 15000_l._ on board, when Gow +designed to have seized the Ship as they went out, but could not get a +party strong enough to join with him, till he worked up a +misunderstanding between the Captain and part of the crew, concerning +the provisions of the ship, particularly _Winter_, _Peterson_, _and +Mc.Cawley_, who came upon the Quarter-Deck, in presence of the Owners, +just before they sailed, and made a long complaint against the +Captain; who assured them that if there was any wrong done them, it +was not by his consent; and that he would enquire into it as soon as +they had unmoored the ship. + +About eight a clock at night, Captain _Ferneau_, as usual, called them +up to prayers in the great Cabin, and then set the watch, and went to +sleep, little thinking his end was so near, when _Winter_, +_Rawlisson_, and _Melvin_, begun the scene of blood, _Gow_ lying snug +in his hammock, as if he knew nothing of the matter, till he saw +whether the villany would succeed, or not. _Winter_ cut the Doctor's +throat as he was asleep in his hammock, and then went up to _Melvin_ +and _Rawlisson_, who in the mean time had seized the Captain and cut +his throat also, but not touching the windpipe, _Gow_ stept up and +shot him with a brace of bullets, and then threw him over-board. +_Mc.Cawley_ cut _Stephen Algiers_ the Clerk's throat, as he lay in the +hammock, and _Williams_ shot him dead afterwards. _Peterson_ cut the +throat of _Bonaventure Jelphs_, the Chief Mate; and _Michael Moor_, at +the Command of _Williams_, shot him. + +After this _Williams_ came upon the Quarter-Deck, and saluted _Gow_ +with Captain _Ferneau's_ sword, first striking it upon one of the +guns, and saying, _Welcome Captain_ Gow, _welcome to your new +Command_. After which, _Gow_ told the men, That if any of them durst +murmur or cabal together, they must expect to meet with the same Fate; +and then calling a Council, they agreed to go, _Upon the Account_, as +they called it. + +They called the ship the _Revenge_, and mounted six more of her guns, +she being able to carry four and twenty in all. But instead of going +to _Genoa_ as intended, they sailed for the coasts of _Spain_ and +_Portugal_, in hopes of getting a ship laden with wine, to keep up +their spirits; but all was alike they met with; and instead of wine, +they contented themselves with fish, which they took out of a ship +called the _Delight_ of _Poole_, _Thomas Wise_, Master, bound from +_New-England_ to _Cadiz_, out of which they took the men, and what +they wanted, and then sunk the Ship, to prevent their being discovered +to the _English_ Men-of-War who lay in the _Straights_. + +On the 18th of _December_, they took the _Snow-Galley_, out of which +Crew they kept _Rob_, and discharged the Captain and the rest of the +men, after having plundered the Ship of the arms, ammunition, cloth, +provisions, sails, anchors, cables, and then let her go. + +By this time, they were got a great way to the southward; and being in +want of water as well as wind, they agreed to go to _Maderas_, which +Island they made in two days, cruising about it near a week, expecting +some vessel to come in or come out; but the Country discovering what +they were, they were disappointed in their attempts. Then they stood +away for _Porto Santa_, where they put up _British_ Colours, and sent +their Boat ashore with a compliment to the Governor, desiring leave to +Water, and buy some refreshments; which he readily agreed to, and went +with them to pay the _English_ Captain a Visit, who received him in a +very grand Manner. But the refreshments not coming as expected, he at +length told him he was his Prisoner, and must remain so till the +provisions were come on board, which was not till next day, when _Gow_ +discharged him, giving him three Cerons of Bees-wax, and three Guns at +his going away. + +Having now got provisions, they agreed to return to the Coasts of +_Spain_ and _Portugal_; where they had not been above two days, before +they met with the _Batchelor_, _Benjamin Cross_ Master, from +_New-England_ bound to _Cadiz_; out of which they took _Cross_ and +his Men, and gave the Ship to Captain _Wise_, as also 24 Cerons of +Bees-wax to him and his mate, and to his four men 8 Cerons. After this +they took a _French_ Ship from _Cadiz_, loaded with wine, oil, and +fruit, which was what they wanted, and manned her with their own men, +taking on board the _Revenge_ the _French_ Master, and his 12 Men, and +most Part of the cargoe, with five guns and their carriages, +ammunition, small arms, and sails, and gave the ship to _Somerville_, +Captain of the _Snow Galley_; and to Captain _Cross_ the _New-English_ +Man, to who they gave half the ship and cargoe and _Somerville_ had +all his Men, but _Alexander Rob_, whom they detained, and who was +executed in 1725, for engaging along with them. + +Soon after they saw a large ship to the windward bearing down upon +them, which at first they thought to have been a _Portugueze_ +Man-of-War; but they found afterwards, it was a _French_ Merchant Ship +coming home from the _West-Indies_, which not fearing them, came on to +the windward. _Gow_ perceiving she was a Ship of great strength, +called all his men together, telling them they had a great many +prisoners on board, and that he could not trust many of his own men; +besides, six of his best Hands were on Board the other Ship, therefore +he advised them not to meddle with her, she being far superior in +Force. This so exasperated _Williams_, that he demanded of _Gow_ to +give his orders for fighting; but he, by the advice of the whole crew, +declined it; whereupon _Williams_ snapt his pistol at his Face; which +not going off, made him still madder. _Winter_ and _Peterson_ standing +by him fired each a Pistol at _Williams_, one shooting him through the +arm, and the other in the belly; at which he fell, and they believing +he was killed, were going to throw him overboard, when he leapt up, +and ran into the Powder-Room, with his pistol cocked in his hand, +swearing he would blow them all up; which he had certainly done, had +they not prevented him that very moment, he having opened the scuttle +to do it. + +They immediately put him in irons, and hand-cuffed him, and then put +him between decks, in a place prepared for prisoners. + +Two days after this, they took the _Triumvirate_, a _Bristol_ Sloop, +_Joel Davis_ Master, bound from _Newfoundland_ to _Oporto_, with fish; +from whence they took all her provisions, arms, sails, and two of her +men, and then let her go with the rest, and all her cargoe. Not +knowing what to do with _Williams_, they resolved to put him on board +them, and send him away, for fear of further danger, ordering the +Master to put him on board the first _English_ man of War he should +meet with, to hang him for Piracy; which when _Williams_ found they +were resolved to do, he made all the submission he was able to Captain +_Gow_, begging for pardon, knowing if he was carried to _Lisbon_ he +should meet with his deserts. But all his entreaties would not do, he +was brought up double fettered, when he begged they would throw him +into the sea, and drown him, rather than give him up to be hanged in +chains, which he knew he deserved from the _Portugueze_ as well as +_English_. This made many of them begin to relent and pity him; but +considering his savage disposition, they knew there was no safety to +keep him on board, and so resolved to let him go, and give him a +hearty curse at parting, wishing him a safe voyage to the gallows, not +dreaming that they themselves should accompany him. + +The _Bristol_ Captain obeyed their orders, and as soon as he came to +_Lisbon_ put him on board the _Argyle_ man of War, Captain _Bowler_ +Commander, who brought him home not above three days before Gow and +his Crew came to keep him company. + +In the middle of last _January_, they arrived at _Caristoun_ in the +Isles of _Orkney_, when _Gow_ gave them instructions, what account +they should give of themselves to the people of the country, to avoid +suspicion. But now began their misfortunes, for several of their men +began to think of making their escape, the first was one _Read_, who +took an opportunity to get away when the boat went ashore, who went to +a farm-house which lay under a hill where he hired a horse and rode +to _Kirkwall_, a market town about twelve miles off, where he informed +them what they were; whereupon they raised the Country to defend +themselves. The Pirates soon hearing what was done, ten more of them +went away with the longboat, making the best of their way for +_Scotland_, who were some time after taken in the _Frith_ of +_Edinburgh_, and made Prisoners. + +This so provoked _Gow_, that he resolved to plunder the Country, be +the consequence what it would, and in order thereto, he sent _Belvin_ +his Boatswain, with _Rob_ and Four more, to Mr. _Honnyman's_ house, +the Sheriff, who not being at home, his Servants let them in, not +suspecting their design. They immediately fell to work, but Mr. +_Honnyman's_ Daughter had the presence of mind to hide the money in a +tub of feathers, till she found an opportunity to carry it away, by +the contrivance of _Alexander Rob_, who was placed centinel at the +door. But when the Boatswain found the treasure was gone, Gow having +before told them where it lay, he swore he would burn the house, and +all that was in it, which the young Lady hearing, she runs to the +Charter-room where the Treasure lay, and threw it out of the Window, +jumping herself after. However, they plundered the house of about +fifty pounds, and some plate, and then forced a servant who played on +the bag-pipes, to pipe before them to the ship, whom they also +detained, and was brought along with them to the _Marshalsea_, where +he was sick till his release. + +The next day they weighed anchor, and came to _Calf-Sound_, where the +boatswain went ashore again with four armed Men, meeting with no +Plunder. From thence they went to the Island of _Eda_, to plunder the +house of Mr. _Fea_, whom _Gow_ had formerly been School-fellow with, +and knowing him to be a Man of Courage, believed that the Alarm at +_Caristoun_ had drawn him thither: But Mr. _Fea's_ wife at that Time +being very sick in Bed, kept him at home, and having notice of them he +sent a letter to _Gow_ by _James Laing_, to desire him to withdraw, +assuring him that most of the inhabitants were fled to the mountains +on the report of his being a Pirate, desiring him to send the +messenger safe back, at whose return the affrights of the people would +be over. _Gow_ sent him word back, that he would write to nobody, but +if Mr. _Fea_ would send his men with a Boat, he would reward them +handsomely, which Mr. _Fea_ hearing, he ordered his great Boat to be +staved, and sunk, and the sails to be carried out of sight. In the +mean time, perceiving _Gow's_ boat come on shore, with five men in it, +well armed, he met them, and said if they would go to a Publick House +in the neighbourhood, and take a cup of ale with him, he would see +what he could do to serve them, which they agreed to, seeing Mr. _Fea_ +was all alone, not suspecting any danger. Mr. _Fea_ had before given +orders for half a dozen men, well armed, to lie in ambush to surprize +them, which being done, Mr. _Fea_ sent to Mr. _Gow_ to let him know, +that the country was alarmed, and that it would be his best way +peaceable to surrender, which _Gow_ did in a day or two, thinking +thereby to make himself an evidence; but it would not do, although he +complied so far as to delude all his men ashore one after another, who +would certainly have cut his throat, had they known of any ways +afterwards to have escaped. + +They were put on board the _Greyhound_, which delivered them into the +_Marshalsea_, _March_ 30, 1714, where they continued till _June_ +following, when eight of them were hanged at _Execution Dock_, viz. +_John Gow_, _James Williams_, _James Belvin_, _John Winter_, _Peter +Rawlisson_, _Daniel Mc.Cawley_, _William Ingram_, for another Piracy +under _Anstis_, and a month afterwards _Alexander Rob_ was hanged for +Piracy under _Gow_. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration] + + + + +Transcriber's Note + +Fraser notes in his foreword to this book that the original author's +spelling was "indefinite even for his own day", and adds that it has +"has been more or less modernized" in this edition; however, there are +still many inconsistencies in spelling, use of hyphenation and +italics, and capitalisation of words. These inconsistencies, along +with archaic spelling, have been retained throughout. + +Minor typographic errors in punctuation have been corrected without +note. The word 'with' was printed as 'htiw' (page 138), and has been +corrected. The word 'were' has been amended to 'where' (page 139, "... +where they sent several Hands ..."), for the sentence to make sense. +Two instances of transposed letters have also been corrected--sieze +changed to seize, and Goaler changed to Gaoler. The original title +page illustration also contained an error, Jnae, which referred to a +month. This was cross-checked with the rest of the text, and has been +amended to read June in the transcription of the text. + +The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the front matter. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pirates, by Anonymous + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PIRATES *** + +***** This file should be named 24439.txt or 24439.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/4/3/24439/ + +Produced by Sam W. and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from +images generously made available by The Internet +Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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